Naruto's Life
by narutolife
Summary: Naruto has returned more powerful then ever... Can he bring Sasuke back... Can he gain everyone's respect...Pairings: In Development
1. His Return Prologue

Disclaimer- We don't own Naruto. We do own the non-anime characters.

Prologue

**His Return**

Walking up the forest path that lead to the Hidden Leaf village Konoha, Uzumaki Naruto was returning home. Jiriyai one of the legendary Sennin and his sensei of 3 years was walking beside him, thinking of doing some research as soon as they got back and they had reported to the Hokage. Snickering like a girl Jiriyai was to busy Day dreaming and walked right into a tree bringing him right back to reality. Naruto, having seen the whole thing broke out in a fit of laughter. Clutching his sides, Naruto continued toward the now visible gates of the village. Reaching the gates they were stopped by 2 jounin guards. "Who are you and what is your business here?", they asked stiffly with a ring of authority in their voices. Pulling out there city passes Jiraiya and Naruto were immediately let through. As soon as they where through the gates the guards vanished as if they never were. Walking down the familiar streets Naruto noticed that nothing seemed to have changed. People still went to the market, the ramen shop was still there, and even the park looked the same. In fact everything was the same, even the hateful glares and angry noises coming from the villagers when he passed them. Naruto, who had grown immune to the stares didn't even twitch. It was Jiraiya that noticed the hateful looks on all the villagers when they saw Naruto. Marking it as something that he would have to speak to Tsunade about he continued to follow Naruto to the Hokage's Tower. Reaching the tower the proceeded to the top-floor and Tsunade's office. In the Ante-room, Shizune Tsunade's secretary was hard at work filing and filling out papers. Not noticing the entrance of the 2 people, she jumped in surprise at the sound of of a deep man's voice.

"Good Morning Shizune-san", the man said calmly to her.

Looking down at the man before her, she couldn't remember who he was although she felt that she knew him from somewhere. Shaking her head to free herself from her thoughts she looked up at the man standing behind the man and gasping again in surprise. "Jiraiya I had no idea that you were back.", she exclaimed flustered that she didn't know something as important as the return of the Sennin and his apprentice. Laughing, Jiraiya walked forward and lead a comforting hand on her shoulder, although that hand was quickly sliding its way downward. Receiving a whack across the face that left a red mark, Jiraiya quickly removed his hand and pulled out a mirror and with a look of horror on his face saw the mark and couldn't help but think to himself: 'I'll get her yet.' Feeling a nosebleed coming on he quickly turned away and composed himself. Turning back around noticed Shizune looking at him. "What?...", he asked quizzically.

"Who is the charming young man that you brought with you?", she asked with a look of interest in her eyes.

"That my young beauty is Uzumaki Naruto.", he said with pride in his pupil.

Walking over to Naruto, she looked him up and down couldn't help but nod in approval. Naruto, who had grown up while he was gone had turned into a striking young. He was tall and muscular beneath his clothes. His hair lower back long and was in a pony-tail. He wore all back except for and red swirl on the back of his coat. He was dressed in a black vest similar to the ones that jounins wear, with a tank top under which very little was left to the imagination. He also was wearing baggy black pants with many a pouch on the legs. His forehead protector having been recast with a black ore match his outfit. His eyes are what attracted Shizune to him the most. They were like the ocean: blue at one time, green at another, but that wasn't the only thing about his eyes that she found fascinating, it was the total lack of emotion: not even boredom showed through them. Looking closer she gasped at seeing that his eyes were also slitted like a cat's eyes. Just that fact made his gaze feel like it was looking under your skin and in to your soul. With a shiver and a shudder, she looked away and walked back to her desk. Sitting down, she pulled out some papers and forms for Jiraiya to sign and look over. Turning to Naruto, she smiled and told him to wait a few moments while she went and made sure that the Hokage wasn't busy. Walking to Tsunade's office, she opened the door and walked inside quickly shutting the doors behind her. Seeing Tsunade look up at her from her desk, she walk up beside her and whispered in her ear: "There is a nice surprise waiting to come i to your office.", Shizune whispered. Tsunade looked at her with a questioning look. "Fine, let them in.", she said testily hoping that the person would do something that she could hit them for. Thoughts of violence quickly vanished when the doors opened to reveal Jiraiya and a young man standing at the threshold. Waving them inside she motioned for them to sit and waited for Shizune to leave before addressing the other Sennin. "So your back... Who's might your friend be?", she asked with a coy smile. Jiraiya laughing said: "That my lord Hokage, is Uzumaki Naruto.", he said laughing even harder at the sight of the expression on Tsunade's face. She, like Shizune before her, was amazed at how much the young man had changed. Motioning for the 2 people to sit, Tsunade looked Naruto over and decided that he looked much better then he had when he had left.

"There has been much happening around here, while you 2 were gone.", she remarked after passing out drinks.

"Such as...?", Jiraiya asked not expecting what he would hear next.

"Such as Uchiha Sasuke abandoning the village in order to gain more power.", she stated gravely while watching Naruto's face for a reaction. Getting none she turned to Naruto and gave him a searching look, but all she saw was an emotionless face with just as cold eyes. Explaining the events up to and after Sasuke's departing, she did not notice the single tear the made its solitary way down Naruto's face. Finished with her tale, Tsunade took the forms from Jiraiya making sure that they were correct before telling them they were dismissed. Walking out of the office and the tower Jiraiya said far well to Naruto for now, for he was going off to gather some research. Naruto nodding his head slowly made his way toward home. Unconsciously he took the route that lead him right past Sakura's house, who by the way was just leaving. Sakura, noticing the man walk by as if he had the world on his shoulders decide to see if she could help. Walking up to the man she quietly ask him: "Are you alright?". Turning his head to see who had spoke, Naruto looked at Sakura with dead eyes. "Hello Sakura-chan.", he said dejectedly. Sakura realizing who it was from who he had known her and by who he said her name, quickly walked up to him. Naruto, who had stopped walking to wait for Sakura, started off again when she caught up. "When did you get back?", she asked with interest. "About 2 hours ago.", he replied simply. "Then you know about S-Sasuke?", she questioned with a quivering voice. "Yes...", he said in the same monotone that he had been using. Sakura, who just nodded her head looked Naruto up and down taking in his new look. 'Wow he looks really good. Really good.', she thought silently to herself. Sakura who had been spacing out didn't notice Naruto had stopped until she bumped into him. Jerked out of her thoughts she saw what had made naruto halt in his tracks. A large black pit was burned into the ground, about 10 feet by 5 feet in width. "That was when Sasuke left the village.", Sakura said simply as if it didn't bother her, for which it did. Nodding his head dumbly he walked off again. The rest of the walk was done in silence. Reaching his house Naruto turned to Sakura and gave her a hug that to his slight surprise she returned. Taking out his keys he opened his door and stepped inside, shutting the door after seeing Sakura walk away. Looking around his apartment, he saw that someone had cleaned and fixed everything. The cracks in his walls and ceiling were gone. All the empty ramen cups were thrown away and his kitchen looked sanitary. Shaking his head to stripped off his clothes and climbed into the shower and let the hot water knead his tense muscles. Stepping out of the shower and into the steam Naruto got dressed and then flopped down on his bed and let sleep claim him.

The next morning...

The next morning, Sakura had come by Naruto's house to see if he wanted to go get breakfast with her to find that Naruto had gone and was seen walking out of the village toward the training grounds almost an hour earlier. Taking her chances she walk over to the grounds to find that Naruto was still there. He was in the process of practicing one of his harder Taijutsus when she walked up. Waiting instead of interrupting his exercise she took the chance to study him and in her way see how much he had grown and changed. Finishing his exercise, Naruto looked over to see Sakura approaching, so he waited before starting his next exercise. Reaching Naruto, Sakura waited for him to settle before starting to talk.

"Good Morning Naruto.", she said happily. "I was wondering if you would like to come and have breakfast with me.", she asked expecting what she thought was the obvious answer. What she didn't take in to account was the fact that not only did physically change and grow but so did he emotionally. Turning to face Sakura, Naruto simply said: "No, i wouldn't."

Sakura was stunned at hearing that. Recovering, she asked: "Why not?", to see if he would tell her and to give her enough time to figure out why Naruto of all people, had said no to her.

"Because I have to train.", he replied simple before walking back to the center of the clearing, and starting the next exercise in his regimen. Sakura, who was as stunned by the answer as by the reason, walked away her head hurting from trying to figure out why Naruto had said no. Arriving in Konoha she saw one of her best friends named Ino walking past. Calling out to her, Sakura ran to catch up. "What's up Sakura?", Ino asked wonderingly. "You know that Naruto is back right?", she asked first. "Yea and i heard that he filled out quite nicely over the years.", she replied coyly. "Well i asked him if he wanted to get some breakfast from me and guess what he said?", she prodded. "Well seeing as its Naruto, I bet he said yes so i don't see the problem.", Ino said frustrated at Sakura. "Well thats the thing Naruto said no.", she shot back. "WHHAATT?", yelled Ino with a gasp. "What do you mean he said no?", she said digging for more info. "He said that no he would because he wanted to train. Then he just turned around and went back to training.", Sakura recited after getting Ino to calm down. Ino who listened intently, made her head hurt trying to figure out why Naruto would say no to the girl he had been crushing on for years now. Lost in thought, Ino didn't notice Sakura was talking to her until Sakura hit her on the arm. "Are you listening to me?", she asked angrily. Nodding her head. Ino listened to the rest of the story before asking: "Well what do you expect after you have hit him and yelled at him so many times. Do you expect him to just come to you when ever you want him to like a dog. I would say that he gave up on you.", Ino said matter of factly with a smug look on her face. Sakura hearing what Ino said thought to herself: 'Could he really have given up on me? Was I really that harsh?'. 'Yes you were and sometimes worse.', her inner self exclaimed. Thanking Ino, Sakura headed for home to see if she could figure out how to say sorry to Naruto.

Training grounds...

Naruto was still there, now practicing his ninjutsus when he sensed that another person approaching where he was practicing. Canceling the jutsu he was about to do, he straightened up to see Hinata turn beet red at the sight of her Naruto-kun looking right at her. With a blush she came closer, to Naruto expecting him to check her for a fever since she was so red, but when he didn't she sighed in relief but at the same time became curious as to why he hadn't. Noticing she was still looking at her, Hinata thought that now might be a good time to say hi, so summoning up enough courage say said: "H-Hi N-Na-Naruto-k-kun." she stammered while poking her fingers together and turning a ever brighter shade of crimson. Naruto bowing deeply said: "Good morning to you Lady Hyuuga.", in a soft voice. Hinata very curious now, looked up at Naruto's eyes only to see herself reflected back in them. Turning back to his training Naruto, began were he left off and finished each jutsu he had in order, and then again with a bunshin. Hinata, who had found a log to sit on watched him exercise and when he was done she noticed that it was almost night-time and that the gates no closed to sun down. Running up to Naruto she grabbed his hand and started pulling him toward the village. Naruto, having just enough time to grab his coat followed Hinata to the gates where they made it just in time before the gates were closed and sealed for the night. Naruto, thanking Hinata bowed once again and walked away toward his house and his nightmares...

A/N: This story will be done by two Authors using the same name. Please Read and Review...


	2. Bloodline

Disclaimer- We don't own Naruto. We do own the non-anime characters

Chapter 1

Bloodline 

His nightmares were all consuming darkness, he had long ago chosen this path and being only 15 it wore on him, alone and frightened Naruto walked silently to his door and turned the knob, stepping through he could feel the cold dank depression attacking, it was his threshold, the one place that once he crossed there was no relief, until the sun rose the next day. It made him feel every bit the demon they had told him he was before he left with Jiraiya for his training. In reality while his friends had all matured he had chosen to cling to every ounce of childish immaturity he could, it was his coping mechanism allowing him deal wit whatever life threw at him.

He had left shortly after retrieving Tsunade, following the one man or person who cared for that matter, well cared at the time. Three years is a long time to come to terms with you are, three long years, time to reflect on relationships that you had always wanted. Sakura was an amazing girl there was no doubt in Naruto's mind about that, but she was meant for that bastard that left, that is why he had said "No" when she had asked him to eat, he wasn't a replacement and he wasn't going to start being one now, no he _would_ bring Sasuke back. Naruto sighed and looked at his clock 8:00 pm, he went into his bedroom and started undressing revealing a toned and muscular body, a intricate pattern of scars coated his wonderfully tanned skin, he had earned everyone of those, pulling back his covers he slipped into his single bed and let sleep consume him, accepting its soothing comfort.

Tsunade sat in her office pouring two small cups of sake, one for her and the other for Jiraiya. They were meeting to discuss the three years Naruto had spent away from his village and his friends, though Jiraiya felt it was better for him, for Naruto, out there traveling and teaching the boy every thing he could. Jiraiya reflected on several of the battles he had recently fought, and realized he had never fought all out and it worried him to think there was coming a time where he might have to. He had done a good job keeping his real power hidden from his teammates, for all they new he was a strong, a pervert, yes, but strong none the less.

"So Jiraiya, what has he learned in the last three years, where did you go and what happened to the Naruto I loved?" Tsunade asked with a bit of an edge in her voice.

"He has learned a lot. He is stronger, faster, and even thinks more when a situation that needs him to arises. We also visited some old friends of his, where we spent two years with those same friends, and he is still the same Naruto, it's just three years is long time to come to terms with one's self. He doesn't pine away for Sakura anymore and I don't think he will be falling for Hinata anytime soon either." Jiraiya replied taking a sip

"I wonder what would cause him to stop pining over Sakura, he was utterly lost and devoted to her before he left?" Tsunade asked as she rubbed her temples waiting for the answer

"I guess a boy can only take so much rejection, it isn't good for you to always be hit and yelled at by the girl you love even if you are the stronger of the two pining for her. Naruto realizes she was and is as shallow as her sensei, so he has moved on determined to get her and Sasuke back together, he is probably going to ask to go get him." Jiraiya replied a little harsher then he should have, but Naruto had fallen into the same predicament he had as a kid, he had loved Tsunade but she only had eyes for Dan and she always hit him telling him he should be more like Dan or Orochimaru

"Jiraiya that isn't fair, I…" Tsunade started to reply but was cut off when Jiraiya stood and went to the door "Save it Tsunade for someone who wants excuses, you and her are alike it is a wonder he didn't snap when on he was her team, especially with his incompetent sensei."

Tsunade knew he was right, she had never treated him right, and Sakura was doing the same with Naruto, and he was also right that Kakashi had ignored Naruto the most because he felt that Sakura and Sasuke would be the better ninjas and that Naruto would eventually quit or die. It was cold but Kakashi had to make the decision that was best for the team and training the other two over Naruto, because it seemed tactically and smarter, and despite it all Naruto always came back stronger.

Jiraiya walked out the door without a further word and looked up the stars and moon, they were absolutely beautiful. He decided that he should go check on Naruto. Walking down the long empty street; he could feel nothing but contempt for this village, a village rebuilding itself after a long period of prosperity was brought crashing down by the invasion of Sound and Sand, the village was now nothing more then a breeding pit for hate and greed.

Naruto was quietly snoring as Jiraiya entered through the unlocked door, turning he shut the door and locked it. He walked into the single bedroom and noticed Naruto had been tossing and turning. Walking over he straightened the blankets and tucked him in, over the years Naruto and him had developed a close relationship, something akin to father-son, the relationship they both had been missing. He bent forward and placed a light kiss on the boy's forehead, Naruto stirred a bit and whispered "Jifu-san" in his sleep which caused Jiraiya to smile as he walked out to of the bedroom after gathering an extra blanket and laid on the couch to sleep.

The morning sun started to peek just over the horizon, letting its morning glow settle over the village casting its glory for everyone to see. The wind was blowing light from the east; all in all it was a beautiful spring day in Konoha. Naruto rolled out of bed and stumbled into his living room and smiled as the man he now considered his Jifu lay sleeping on his couch. He smiled and quietly gathered some money and left the house crossing the street, so that he could by some groceries from the Izuka's the store across from his apartment.

Walking in, he ignored some of the usual hateful stares, and found himself staring at a girl who looked similar to Haku his old friend whom he thought was dead.

_Flash back_

_"Come on Ero-sensei where are we going I am tired and hungry. We NEED SOME RAMEN." Naruto complained as he continued to walk behind Jiraiya_

_"Damn you kid, how many times, do I have to say not to call me that, quit calling me Ero-sensei, and keep quiet it is a secret."_

_Jiraiya knew this would brighten Naruto's day how many times does a boy get to see to assumed dead friends, though they would have been dead if Jiraiya hadn't walked by their graves and noticed the faint chakra signatures buried deep in the ground. He had quickly summoned a frog and the two of the started digging for the boxes that would be acting as the coffins. When they had reached the two vessels Jiraiya and the frog popped the top revealing a near death Zabuza and Haku, he then nursed them back to health before taking them to the cloud country to settle down. Walking up to the relatively small house that stood in front of them Jiraiya knocked. Haku walked up to the door and opened and smiled as she saw Jiraiya who merely stepped to the side and showed a shocked Naruto, who walked up and touched her face lightly and smiled._

_"I KNEW YOU WERE A GIRL!" Naruto exclaimed happily as Haku laughed and Jiraiya rolled his eyes at his student's stupidity_

_"Yes, Naruto-kun I am a girl, Zabuza-san had me hide so that guys couldn't take advantage of me." Haku said with a smile before ushering him in to see a living Zabuza who smiled and said: "Hey brat, what's up?" Zabuza asked which cause Naruto to launch into an explanation about his training trip he was on_

_End Flash Back_

Her and Zabuza had a family now it was something special for the both of them Haku had a baby boy two years ago. They had decided they would start his training soon, he was full of life that one they had even named it after him as a sign of their friendship, Momochi Naruto had a ring too it for a little chibi was cute just like him. Naruto snapped out of his bout of nostalgia and quickly went around and gathered some bacon, eggs, milk, bread, and various vegetables and fruits. Taking it to the counter he wanted to pay and get out of there.

"45 yen." The cashier said as she rang everything up and he reached into his wallet and gave her a 100 note she went to hand him the change but he just told her to keep it and waved a small farewell before crossing the road to his apartment again. The cashier couldn't believe her fortune.

"Izuka-sama, Izuka-sama, the boy across the street left a 55 yen tip can I keep it, can I please?" The cashier begged as the elderly Izuka smiled

"If he thought that giving you 55 yen was worth your service then yes you can keep it." Izuka said as the small girl from the academy hugged him, she only worked two hours in the morning and afternoon to help her parents around the house and with the bills. 'Welcome back Uzumaki-san' Izuka thought with a smile.

Naruto entered his apartment to hear his shower running and decided to cook as Jiraiya took a shower. So he went about his task to cook a small breakfast of eggs, bacon, and toast with a small fruit salad. Jiraiya smelt the savory aroma that was wafting from the kitchen and decided to leave the shower and enjoy the breakfast his adopted son was making it, seemed to smell so good anyway.

Jiraiya walked out of the bath room to hear the distinct sizzle of bacon on the stove, he smelled and smiled it was truly a good smell, Bacon and Scrambled eggs were doled out generously as Naruto cooked away and placed a small salad on the table with two glasses of milk and sat down to eat as Jiraiya came and took a seat. Jiraiya could see the boys happy smile and it made him feel good, it had been a long time since he saw a smile like that, it would have to been when he first saw Haku.

"So what do you want to do today?" Jiraiya asked as he took another bite from his food and waited for the answer to come

"Can we train, the Chuunin exams are coming up this year and they are here again and I thought I could take them again but to do so I need to perfect my Taijutsus for the exams." Naruto said seriously.

Jiraiya got up and ruffled his son's hair, thinking to himself that Naruto needed a haircut. Jiraiya smiled to himself, he was actually thinking about settling down here in the village and staying with Naruto. If he did, life it seemed would be better for both of them.

"Well if we are going to train we might as well get going because it is getting to be late in the morning and we need to work all day." Jiraiya said as he walked toward the door followed by an eager Naruto, they quickly ran toward the training grounds of team seven he wanted to be ready for his chance to bring Sasuke back.

Naruto and Jiraiya stood a part in the center of the clearing as the wind blew lightly kicking up just a bit of loose grass and dirt. Jiraiya stood looking at the boy and nodded his head for him to begin. Moving he crouched low into a battle stance began focusing his chakra and waited for Jiraiya to say attack.

"Who are you Naruto?" Jiraiya asked as he watched Naruto from his position awaiting his answer

"I am Uzumaki Naruto ninja of Konoha and a leaf style ninja." Naruto replied filled with pride.

"What is your path?" Jiraiya again asked growing graver my the instant.

"I have chosen the path of protector; it is my destiny to protect those who can't protect themselves." Naruto again replied unaware he had a visitor hidden in the trees who had felt the surge of chakra.

Mitarashi Anko hid in the tress after feeling the chakra surge and her body shook with delight as she watched the genin below her release his chakra and felt it gather and electrify the very air she breathed. She was glad she had gotten up early to train because now she got to see this. Naruto felt his body ripple with pure energy as the chakra was being compressed and stored in his body. He moved his hands so they hung loosely at his side.

"Show me son, your power." It was a command more then a request.

Naruto shouted: **KAGE BUNHSIN NO JUTSU**

Many clones appeared and attacked Naruto who simply dodged all attacks by jumping straight into the air, moving in and out of the group he stood with his back to them and shouted a second time: "**RASENGUN"**

Anko's eyes went wide as she watched the boy turn around and began his attack on the clones, the first ten fell to the rasengun that seemed to rip them to pieces. The next fell to an amazing display of quick hits with his knees as he back flipped and drove his knee into the head of a clone. Anko noticed, as he flew threw the air. That he made one hand signal and turned almost to quickly to track and shouted a third time:"**BUTIA RASENGUN**." At that point the rasengun seemed to split into five different balls the size of his fingertip. Each ball took on a hue of an element: red for fire, blue for water, yellow for ground, white for wind and black for dark.

He pivoted and thrust his hand in to the chest of the last clone that exploded with a loud bang as his attack landed. A loud explosion rocked the clearing as the chakra and wind turned the ground into a gaping hole. As Naruto survey his handy work Anko made herself known.

"That is some amazing attack sequence Uzumaki-san where did you learn those attacks?" Anko said as she walked from the shadows.

"I learned them some my sensei, Jaraiya-sama, my summoning and Rasengan are my most powerful jutsus and I like it that way. Now if you don't mind Jifu-san and I need to get going." Naruto said as he and Jiraiya left the clearing.

Naruto and Jiraiya weren't done training yet and so saying they went and found another training space. Finding that team 8's space was empty. They settled for Naruto's real training.

"Are you ready Naruto?", Jiraiya asked solemnly.

"Yes, Jifu-san.", Naruto replied getting ready for whatever Jiraiya would throw at him.

Jiraiya dropped down in to his fighting stance and used quick hand seals and disappeared in a flash of light accompanied by a very load boom. Naruto turned every which way trying to find his sensei. A rumbling grew at his feet and before he knew what hit him, Jiraiya jumped out of the ground with a rasengun in his hand. Shoving the rasengun into Naruto's gut, he tried to jump away but received a savage kick in the head for his trouble, except that the Jiraiya before him was nothing but a clone and disappeared in a puff of smoke. Naruto healing the hole in his stomach was surprised to see that the wound had taken most of his chakra away including that of Kyubbi's. Thinking quickly, Naruto began to run and jumped into a tree. Landing on a branch he continued to jump higher and higher until he reached one of the top-most branches. Gazing down he noticed a branch pull down as if it was being weighed down by something. Reaching for a kunai he threw it straight at the branch and was rewarded to see Jiraiya appear out of no where. Catching the kunai, Jiraiya jumped away from the now hurtling Naruto just in time to be saved from being tackled from a tree. Naruto, recovering from his head long rush, formed a rasengun with all his remaining power and charged Jiraiya. Seeing Naruto coming, Jiraiya leapt away from the charge and prepared to throw a kunai at him. What he didn't expect is Naruto to fade away as if he was an illusion. Realizing his mistake, Jiraiya tried to block the impending strike but he had realized to late to do him any good. Naruto shoving the rasengun forward was blasted backward into a tree. Jiraiya had just enough time to put a blocking jutsu in front of him before Naruto shoved the rasengun at him. Naruto picking himself out of the tree realized that he had no more chakra and that he could never beat Jiraiya like this.

That thought caused him to concentrate and his chakra flow and in doing so he noticed that there was a bump in his chakra reserve area. Prodding the bump with what little chakra he had. He was flooded with knowledge as soon as he touched it and coming back to reality he smiled, a cold killing smile. Jiraiya having seen that smile only once in his life, wondered briefly if he had pushed Naruto over the edge. Feeling a surge of power from Naruto he looked over and was stunned in amazement. Naruto had shoved every once of chakra he had into the bubble and it revealed itself as his bloodline. Eye's turning electric blue and sparking, he crouched into a fighting stance that Jiraiya had never seen. Forming hand seals Naruto called out: "**DANSU ZANA HEKIREKI JOUTON (Dance of the Thunder God)"**.

The air seemed to become filled with electricity and power. Charging Jiraiya, Naruto renewed his attack. As soon as Naruto began to run, Jiraiya lost sight of his pupil and as Naruto before him had, began looking around wildly. Appearing in front of Jiraiya, Naruto delivered a palm thrust that blasted his sensei back into a tree, as with he had been struck by lightning. Jiraiya getting up looked around for his apprentice and he spotted him about 25 feet away forming a complex series of hand seals. Calling out for the second time he cried: "**TENARI HANDO HEKIREKI (Divine Hands of Thunder)**". Electricity began to whirl around his hands, looking up he saw Jiraiya looking at him. Again, rushing toward Jiraiya, Naruto disappeared. Having a thought about what was about to happen Jiraiya shielded himself as best he could. Appearing Naruto shoved both his lightning covered hands at Jiraiya and struck him in the chest. Blasting Jiraiya once again into a tree where to laid still. Naruto seeing his sensei not getting up lost all thought of combat and the lightning was lost form his gaze and his body. Rushing over to his sensei, he saw Jiraiya smile at his son's worried face. "Don't worry about me I'm fine.", he said with a grunt as he got up. Relieved that he hadn't killed his sensei, he gazed down and his hands in amazement at the power he had just unleashed. "It looks like even your own mind has some secrets from you.", Jiraiya said whimsically as he pondered this new development.

Ruffling his son's hair, they began to walk back to Konoha, both thinking about today's events.

A/N: Please Read and Review (ones that we can read preferable) THX.


	3. Family Ties

Disclaimer- We don't own Naruto. We do own the non-anime characters.

Chapter 2

**Family Ties**

Jiraiya and Naruto were walking back in a shroud of complete silence, both reflecting upon that days astounding events. Jiraiya was trying to figure out who and how Naruto got that bloodline from because as far as he knew, Naruto's parents were ordinary ninjas and neither had bloodlines. Naruto, who was looking down at his hands as if they had become someone else's, couldn't believe that he had such power. He also was trying to figure out how he had gotten that power and where. Thinking back to his earliest memories, the only thing he could remember was that even his care-taker had hated him and left him as soon as he was 6 years old. Looking over at his adopted father, Naruto couldn't help but feel excited and happy with the knowledge that he had a father even if it was a very perverted one. Smiling at that thought, Naruto returned his thoughts back to the task at hand and continued to search his memory for any sign of his lineage. Jiraiya, who was watching his son out of the corner of his eye, noticed the intense look upon his features and smiled knowing that Naruto was searching with all his might to find out who his parents were. Arriving in Konoha just before the gates closed and sealed for the night, the pair made there way home silently promising each other to renew the search even more vigorously in the morning, with a fresh outlook on the matter.

Reaching Naruto's apartment, Naruto unlocked the door and let Jiraiya enter first and the followed his father in and closed and locked the door. Walking into his bedroom he stripped down to his under garments and fell into bed knowing that Jiraiya would do the same on the couch. Drifting off to sleep, Naruto was struck by a thought. Reaching into his mind, Naruto entered his mind and found himself in a hallway filled with doors of all sorts of colors. Instead of opening one of those doors, Naruto followed the hallway down until he reached the very end, There stood a steel door barred with steel chains and a gigantic seal across the steel plate. Walking up to the door, Naruto saw the chains fall away. Reaching up to the seal Naruto bite his thumb and drew blood and the smeared the blood on the seal. With a gut wrenching grinding sound that made him cover his ears and wince in pain, the door raised itself into the ceiling. Walking forward into the gloom within, Naruto waited a few short paces form the door. With a sudden burst of light the room revealed itself. Taking up most of the room was a gigantic steel cage with the same seal that was on the door, imprinted on all the bars. The cage wasn't the only thing awing about this room... For inside the cage sat a fox of humongous proportions. With and evil grin and a growl the fox raised itself up. Not showing any fear in the slightest, Naruto brazenly walked up to the cage and yelled: "Hey you perverted, giant fur-ball. Do you know anything about my parents?", he said with a serious tone in his voice and a serious expression on his face. Rumbling with a growl the Kyubbi, for it was the great Nine-Tailed Fox that was in the cage, looked down and looked at the puny human that was his container and said in a deep bass growl: "**No, I don't but you should. I mean just use the technique that you use to talk to me to unlock the doors in your mind and look at your memories."**. Thinking about the fox's answer Naruto saw that it was plausible and decided to try it. "Thanks, giant fur-ball. You can go back to sleep now.", Naruto said happily before he turned around and walked out. Without even hearing the crash of the door resealing and chaining itself, Naruto walked to the first door he saw. Turning the door handle, he was suddenly surrounded by his own memories. Realizing that these particular memories were his most recent he shut the door and continued back down the hall back the way he had come. Reaching his entrance point he saw only one door left. Approaching the door he was suddenly stopped by an invisible barrier. Striking it with his fists, Naruto was thrown back and landed on the floor with a heavy thud. Gaining his feet, he charged the barrier and was again thrown back but even harder and farther this time. Getting back to his feet again, Naruto thought about his next course of action. Decision made, Naruto walked back to the fox's room and said: "I need your help." Looking up from his resting place, Kyubbi was surprised by this revelation. **"With what would you need my help with?"**, he asked curiously, because of the tone of voice in the young man's voice. Seeing the fox's obvious interest, Naruto explained his plan: "I need you to demolish a barrier in my mind so i can reach the memories that are in there." With a gasp and a backwards jerk Kyubbi' exclaimed: **"Do you know what that would do to your mind not to mention your body?"**, he asked with a bit of terror in his voice. "Just do it, or are you scared of some little memories. Its not like they can hurt you.", Naruto sneered trying to provoke the fox. Succeeding, the fox growled: **"Very well, but do not say that I did not warn you."**, with that said Kyuubi walked out of his now ethereal cage and advanced upon the invisible barrier. Reaching out with a huge paw, Kyuubi swiped at the barrier and destroyed it. Suddenly, with a great howl of anguish the fox was jerked back into his seal and the door to the room was sealed once again, cutting off his howl. Naruto, who had followed the demon to the barrier, was surrounded by the memories. Looking at them he realized that these memories were from the day he was born. Submerging himself in them, Naruto gazed wide-eyed as he watched doctors swarm around him. He felt his memory self being carried somewhere and laid down in a comforting place. The baby Naruto, curious of everything looked up and saw the one thing that the now 16 year old Naruto had forgotten... his mother. With a tears freely flowing from his eyes, Naruto looked upon the woman he knew without a doubt to be his mother. He examined her face as much as possible from his point of view. Tearing his eyes from her beautiful face, Naruto looked around at the memory room and saw a shadowed man standing over his mother. Looking up at the man, his mother said: "Look at him husband. He takes after you.", she whispered with a expression of pure joy and love on her face. Naruto jerked back in surprised when his mother reached down and kissed the baby Naruto's forehead and he had felt it as if she had really kissed him. Naruto was trying to figure out who his father was, when the memory flashed forward to him laying on a red cushion with his bloody father standing over him. The man was still shrouded by shadow. Looking up he saw that his father seemed to be smiling at him, with a small hand the baby Naruto reached up and tried to grab his Father's hand. With a shake of his head, the man turned and disappeared from his field of vision. With a wailing cry, both baby and teen-aged Naruto began to cry and with a violent jerk he ripped himself from the memories and let himself return to reality where he saw that almost no time had passed. With a small sob of both happiness and grief, Naruto fell into a deep sleep where he was not disturbed by dream or nightmare.

The next morning...

The net morning, Naruto got up with a mixture of feelings going through his stomach. He felt happiness because he knew who his mother was and grief because he knew some how that some how his father had died that night. Slumping to the bathroom, he crawled into the shower and let the scalding water warm his skin and smooth away the worst of the feelings. Getting dressed, Naruto headed into the kitchen to find food and Jiriyai both at the table, waiting for him. With a smile, he sat himself across from his father and dug in to the large breakfast with zeal, wishing that his dad would let him eat some ramen once in a while. Finishing breakfast, the two shinobi washed the dishes and started getting ready to resume their search for Naruto's parents. Naruto, who was watching his sensei getting all his equipment and items together, thought about what happened the last night; and if he should tell his father. Reaching a decision, Naruto cleared his throat in a clear sign that he wanted to talk. Jiraiya, who had halted his activities at the sound, looked up expectantly. Naruto gestured for the older man to take one of the couches and with a heavy thump Naruto plopped down on the couch that was on the opposite side as the one that Jiraiya now occupied. Naruto watched his sensei under a mask of complete emotionless ness. Taking a deep breath, Naruto collected his thoughts and began to speak. "Last night as I was going to sleep, I got an idea. Using a technique to enter my mind I went to talk to Kyuubi. I asked him that since he had been living in me since i was a babe, if he knew my parents. He said that he did not but i should be able to find out who they were by looking into my memories. So using a jutsu that he showed me, I started looking through my memory doors." Interrupting Naruto, Jiraiya asked: "What do you mean by dream doors, and what jutsu did Kyuubi teach you?", he asked with a queer look in his eyes and a tense voice. "He taught me the **Kinen Yochi **(Memory Scope) jutsu. This jutsu reveals doors that represent a place in your mind that store your memories. Each door holds certain amount of time's worth of memories. Each door is color coded by the most prominent emotion of the memory. Most of my doors are gray representing loneliness. All the others are either red for angry or black for extreme pain of one form or another, and blue for the very few times that I was ever truly happy.", Naruto said with the same emotionless voice that he had started with although their seemed to be tears on the verge of emerging from his eyes. At hearing and seeing this Jiraiya began to silently cry to himself knowing that this experience most have been hell for Naruto to go through. "I started the search at the doors that were the nearest to Kyuubi. These doors were my most recent memories. That is where I found the most blue doors. As I went back farther and closer to my entry and exit area the doors ranged from gray to red with only one blue door. I search all of them all the way down to my memories of my care-taker at the age of six. I didn't find any hint as to who my parents were and I was about to give up when i noticed that there was still one door left. I tried to get to it except that it was blocked by a barrier of some sort. So I went back to Kyuubi's cell and told him to break it. When I did, he told me that if it was opened that I may lose my mind or worse. I told him to go ahead and do it. As soon as he broke it, he was jerked back into his cage and the door slammed closed and sealed itself. As soon as that happened I was engulfed by memories. They started off at the hospital. That was when I saw my m-mom.", he finished this part of the explanation with a quiver and a short sob and a look of deep sorrow past over his features almost to fast for Jiraiya to see. Using all his will power to stay put and not go over and hug his adopted son, Jiraiya thought about what the boy had said but he hadn't let it sink in yet. Naruto, who was forcing himself back into his emotionless mask, took another deep voice and said: "Her name was Natsuki Hekri, member of the Hekri clan and a keeper of the lightning element bloodline, one of the ten elemental bloodlines." With a sigh, Naruto finished his story and waited to see what his sensei would say. Jiraiya, who was still trying to assimilate the fact that Naruto had found out who is mother was, was amazed that he knew so much about her. With a gasp, Jiraiya realized that if he knew who his mother was that must mean that he also knew who his father was. "Son... did you by any chance also find out who your father was?" he asked with a little apprehension. "No, but I do know that he did die the night that Kyuubi attacked and was sealed inside me. I never did find out what happened to my mother either.", he said with an expression of bemusement on his face and a voice of curiosity. Jiraiya getting up from his seat across from Naruto, walked over and hugged his step-son, letting his son who could not hold back his tears back any longer cry as he shook with grief and anger at the world and his parents. Pulling back from Jiraiya, Naruto wiped his face and composed himself and gave his new dad a smile that showed genuine thanks for being there. Returning the smile, Jiraiya motioned to the door and picked up his things. Leaving the apartment, Jiraiya knew exactly where to go from there, headed to the Hokage's tower to use on of the many favors that Tsunade owned him to gain access to the Vaults of Records. Naruto, who was still thinking about that fact that he now knew who his mother was, headed down to the bridge where he and his teammates used to meet. Reaching the bridge, Naruto leaned over the side and watch the placid water flow under the bridge and get lost in the horizon. So lost in his thoughts, Naruto didn't even notice Anko walking up the path that lead to the bridge. Anko, who used the bridge as a good thinking spot saw that someone was already there. Continuing up the path, she realized that the person that she was actually thinking about standing there looking out over the railing. Walking up to Naruto, Anko waited for him to notice. While she waited she looked him over, from the top down. She saw that under the baggy pants, muscular legs hid, and she saw all the scars that lined his back including the one that he had received from the traitor: Sasuke. The Chidori scar was a dull pink next to his shoulder blade. It reminded her that this man, for that was what he was now, fought for the people he loved with awesome power. It was that power that drew her to him. The power that she knew would be able to take down Orochimaru. Naruto, who was coming back to reality, noticed that person behind him and slowly turned around. Jerking back in surprise, he saw that it was Anko and not Sakura. Sighing in relaxation, he smiled a small smile and returned to looking out over the railing. Following suit, Anko leaned against the railing but faced Naruto. "Is there something wrong Naruto?", she questioned. "No..", he replied again using the toneless voice. "You want eat lunch with me? I feel like ramen.", she asked hoping that she might be able to get him to tell him how he had gotten so powerful if she bought him some ramen. Perking up at the sound of ramen, he looked over at her and saw her smirk of amusement. Unable to control himself, he smirked back and nodded his head, walking soundlessly to the ramen stand. They both waited for the other to start the conversation. After ordering the meal still past in silence, and after about twenty more minutes of silence Anko couldn't take it anymore. "I was curious, especially after I saw you defeat those clones, on how you had gotten so powerful so fast and so easily." she said with her face a mask of innocence, and with a voice that tried to feign at indifference. "I trained night and day and I always thought of the people that I needed to protect. I got stronger for them, not for me. I was only after the second year that I realized that no one or at least very few people cared about what happened to me. After that I got stronger to show them that I can and will be the best." he stated without modesty or any sort of feeling in his voice or face. "I see..." she replied, her face locked in the innocent mask. Finishing the meal with pleasantries after that, they parted after Naruto paid the bill. Anko, wandering off thought about what Naruto had said and realized that she was going about her life in all the wrong way. With that thought in her mind she went home and began to revise her life.

Naruto, who after having lunch with Anko thought about training but knew that he wasn't in the mood, so he went back home and was surprised to find Jiraiya there. "I thought you were at the tower looking at the records." he accused thinking that he sensei and father had gone _researching_ again. 'Damn Ero-Sennin, always being a pervert.' he thought silently to himself. Stabbing Naruto with a reproachful look as if he knew exactly what Naruto was thinking, Jiraiya replied: "I was, but I found what I was looking for." Gesturing like Naruto had earlier, Jiraiya now occupied the seat that Naruto had earlier and vice versa. "I'll start at the beginning so that you can understand some of the things that happened. It started about two years before you were born. The Hidden Leaf and Hidden Cloud were warring. Each side had spies and informants. Your mother was one of our informants. When the cloud found out about her, they immediately sent a team of Jounin to get her. Your mother knowing that they knew about her wrote as much in her last report to us. Your father, who read the report, rushed out the village to rescue someone he didn't even know. We later found out that she had visited us before and that they were good friends. Anyways, your father arrived just in time to stop the Jounin from capturing your chakra-usage exhausted mother. Taking a more leisurely pace back here, your mother and father become very close. They eventually dated, got engaged and married a year later. Cloud found out about the marriage and that your mother was still alive. They marked her as a missing-nin and sent a squad after her even though she was now registered as a leaf ninja. Your father once again stopped her from being taken. At that time cloud saw how foolish it was to keep trying, and so they gave up and stopped. With an uneventful life again your parents thought about kids. They had you a year later on the fateful day that Kyuubi attacked. Knowing that the only way to save everyone from more harm was to seal the beast, your father found a scroll and sealed him in his only child killing himself in the process. The rest you know." finishing his tale he waited for the info to sink in, knowing exactly how hard it was because the same thing happened to him when he had read the scroll. With a gasp, Naruto gazed in amazement at his step-father. "So your saying that my father was the Y-Yondaime?", he stammered with a quivering voice and a look of great joy and happiness on his face. "Yes, I am Naruto. Your father was none other the Arashi Uzumaki, The Fourth Hokage and Savior of Konoha.", he said beaming. With a explosive out rushing of air Naruto fainted. Smiling at his overwhelmed son, Jiraiya picked him up and placed him in the bed and got ready for the trip.

The next morning...

Naruto lay awake in bed still trying to digest the fact that his father was the Yondaime. Getting up and taking a shower, he headed to the kitchen for some breakfast after getting dressed. Entering the kitchen, Naruto saw Jiraiya in the process of making a large batch of sandwiches. "What are all those for?", he asked still trying to get the cobwebs out of his brain. "These are for the trip down to the Cloud Country.", Jiraiya responded with a grin and a chuckle. Rubbing the back of his neck in bewilderment, Naruto tried to think of any reason of why his sensei was going there. "I give up... Why are you going there?" he asked. "You mean, Why are we going there, and we are going there to learn more about your bloodline.", he amended with a smile at Naruto's stunned face. "I have relatives that live there?", he asked dumbly in a stuporish voice. "I hope so or this is a wasted trip." Jiraiya replied amused at Naruto. Finishing his sandwiches, the older man walked over and put half of them in one bag and half in another along with some ramen: "There that should be good." Picking up and tossing Naruto his pack, Jiraiya said: "Its time to go. I already have Tsunade's permission to go, so lets get going." "Alright.", Naruto replied amiably once his mind had caught up with his hearing. Locking the door behind him, Naruto shouldered his pack and followed his sensei out the gates and toward the cloud country.

One week later...

"Wow, this place is huge.", Naruto said in an awed voice to match his expression. Jiraiya just nodded totally agreeing with his step-son. They had arrived at the capital of the cloud country and found where the Hekri clan estate was located and set off for it. They now stood before the house and training grounds that were adjacent to it. Reaching for the knocker, Jiraiya knocked thrice quite loudly. After what seemed to be an eternity and just before Jiraiya was going to knock again, the doors swung open on silent hinges. Standing in the gap between them stood a woman, walking forward Jiraiya bowed and motioned for Naruto to do the same. "Yes, what do you want?", the woman said quietly. "We are here to see the leader of the Hekri clan.", Jiraiya said in a formal voice and commanding voice. "I am she." the woman replied in a wary voice along with her face slipping into an unreadable mask. "Well then, I think that you and us need to speak privately.", Jiraiya informed the woman. Nodding her head, the woman moved aside and allowed them to enter the compound. Jiraiya was just about to follow the woman when he noticed Naruto wasn't following him. Looking around he saw that his son was crouched on the floor with a kunai aimed at the wall. Before Jiraiya could stop him, Naruto threw the kunai at the wall and was rewarded by a voice shouting in angry. "You almost hit me with this." the voice said revealing itself to belong to a child of no more then 8 years. "I wasn't trying to hit you." Naruto said evilly with an evil fox grin plastered to his face. Clearing his throat, Jiraiya motioned for Naruto to follow him. Returning to the woman she didn't even look to have noticed the shout or the child. Turning back and walking down a hallway, she led them to her office. "Now this is a private conversation. What did two Hidden Leaf ninja need to talk to me for?" she asked immediately upon the door closing. "We are here about this clan's bloodline." Jiraiya said cautiously. Immediately becoming wary, the woman replied: "What about it?"

Turning to Naruto, Jiraiya nodded his head. With eyes turning white and sparking, Naruto called out: "**DANSU ZANA HEKIREKI JOUTON (Dance of the Thunder God)"**. The air seemed to become charged with electricity and power. Allowing the power to rush through him a bit, Naruto released the power. Returning to normal he looked over at the woman and waited for her reaction.

"It seems the great Hekri clan lives again." she said simply before fainting.

A/N: Please Read and Review (ones that we can read preferable) THX.


	4. Slaved

Disclaimer- We don't own Naruto. We do own the non-anime/manga characters.

Chapter 3

**Slaved**

Chouji was in the confines of his clan's house working with his long assumed dead uncle, but in reality he suffered the same problem that Chouji had, the both of them had eaten their battle pills all at once to achieve that one moment of invincibility where it converts his body and fat into chakra.

_Flashback_

_Chouji and Shino were in the front as their two teams searching for Sasuke. Shino and Chouji could sense the large chakra levels and Shino's bugs buzzed excitedly as the anticipated the up coming battle._

_"Chouji-san we have visitors and they seem very powerful" Shino whispered, Chouji didn't answer he just turned side to side and watch the trees come alive as four sound ninjas came from the shadows_

_Chouji knew who they were, they were the sound four who had helped kill the Third and here they were obviously looking to stop them from retrieving the lost leaf genin, somehow a battle broke out and his team as well as Kurenai sensei's was fighting and trying to win. Chouji examined the field and was quite distressed that Kurenai sensei was fighting Jirobo and she was on her knees about to be crushed. He knew he had to do something so he took his pill container and emptied it into his hands. All the colors he needed were in his palms; Shikamaru looked back and by the gleam in his eye could tell what his friend was going to do._

_"Chouji don't you dare be troublesome and eat those pills." Shikamaru commanded_

_"To late Shika, I got people to save, precious people at that." Chouji answered with a smirk as he downed the pills with out a second thought_

_The reaction was almost instant, his body started to break down the fat that he always stored and converting it to chakra, the immense surge of power caused Jirobo to look up and into the eyes of a monster, power like his had never been fought by these four sound nins, even with their level two cursed seal mode they wouldn't stand a chance, Jirobo's face registered shock as Chouji disappeared and he felt the force of a blow carrying him backward into the side of a tree._

_Jirobo's screamed with his face contorted in pain, it was the first time he had ever been hit like that, and he decided he never wanted to be hit like that again. He looked up into the boys eyes and could sense a bit of sorrow, but quickly pushed that aside, not understanding why some one could be mad at themselves for saving their friends from the enemy._

_"Re-retreat now, no more fighting we need to get back to sound go now, we already have Sasuke." Jirobo commanded not wanting to die _

_Chouji knew he didn't have long left so he backed down and watched the enemy escape vowing he would one day have his rematch, turning he smiled at a shocked Kurenai and then fainted_

_End Flashback_

It had been that battle where he ate all the pills so that he could save Kurenai, he hadn't wanted it any other way, he would gladly take the pills again if it meant she would be okay, at some point he told himself it was okay, because he loved her and her beautiful red eyes. Yet he was here training his body with out the use of fat. He was now 6'5" tall which was amazing, arms and legs thick with muscle like trees; he was learning non-clan Jutsus and fighting styles to compensate for the lack of Akimichi fat.

His uncle Ghor was teaching him he had developed a good deal of ground Jutsu's almost becoming like the Jirobo he had fought except a lot nicer and probably stronger his body had converted his fat to chakra and thus increased his over all pool of chakra immensely as well as the training so all in all he was a two legged tank. He was also learning to fight with a massive war hammer it had a steel shaft with and obsidian head with ancient runes etched on it.

His training left no time for his friends which was taxing on the boy but only because he missed Shikamaru and Kurenai-sensei, he thought it bad to have a crush on such an older lady, but he couldn't do anything about it, there years isolated from the village could wear on any soul. Shortly after coming back from the first Sasuke retrieval mission, he had been exiled to the branch house and disowned by his father, he wanted to stay skinny and the branch house was where "those types" as his father called them lived, shortly after arriving he met his uncle who had decided it was better to train the boy then let him go to waste as a ninja. Chouji and his uncle's relationship evolved some where over the last three years, Ghor was more so his father then his uncle, and Ghor himself felt this way.

Ghor watched Chouji exit the house and make his way to the gate of the Akimichi complex, it was the first time he had been outside the gates in three years, it would be a shock for the culture watch the six foot giant walk down the streets. Ghor chuckled to himself as he thought about the monstrous boy greeting people with his quiet gentle voice. They had a meeting to get to with the Hokage, today was the day that Chouji would be assigned a squad of 5 elite ninjas to act as the Hokage personal guard, the only other Ghor knew would be promoted was Uzumaki-san when he got back from his trip to cloud in fact he was to be the leader.

Chouji exited the branch house wearing rugged leather shorts, a solid silver breast plate adorned with Jade and Emeralds, a depiction of a large bear with its claws and fangs extended. Ghor looked at the boy and gave a slight nod; he was the strongest in the branch family, and his chest plate proved it. What made him even more imposing was the giant war hammer on his back. He was truly the biggest man Ghor had ever saw, everything about him exuded manliness, which was a change from the formally robust glutton physique he had maintained up to that fated mission.

"Son we need to get going, we have the appointment with the Hokage-sama, I feel today is an important day." Ghor said from the yard of the compound.

"Hai, youfu-kun, I am ready to go, although I am scared I haven't seen my friends in three years and I am not exactly normal know am I." Chouji said from the doorway as the sun shone and reflected off his brilliant chest piece.

Ghor sighed, he knew it would be a long hard three years but he wasn't the only one to do it Naruto had done, Shino had not been seen in two years, and neither had Shikamaru, after that last battle each had taken up fighting seriously and trained non-stop though Shika not as hard as the others and he had outside contact with Asuma and Ino but other then that they were as isolated as he was. Chouji walked up to the gate and motioned to the guards to open the doors.

Once the gate was swung open Ghor and Chouji took their first step back into the real world and boy did Chouji miss it, the streets of down town Konoha were a sight to be held he had missed all the activity, he and Ghor quickly turned north and headed for the tower from which the Hokage ruled the country. Chouji continued walking when he heard and felt small thud and looked down to see a little girl lying at his feet. He smiled and knelt down to pick the girl up, she struggled at first but then relaxed as he placed her on his shoulders so she could hitch a ride using him like a human carriage.

"So what's your name?" Chouji asked in a quiet and soothing voice, using his best disarming smile.

"Sujiana Yukina, I am an orphan living at the orphanage, I am sorry about running into you." The girl said averting her gaze, with a shy smile.

"Well Yukina-san, I am Akimichi Chouji and you look like you're hungry. Why don't we get some candy and then go see the Hokage?" Chouji asked as he turned the corner and headed for a candy store and walked in.

Chouji could see the girls eyes light up as he pulled out his wallet and looked at all the candy. Picking her up off his shoulder he sat her down and asked her how old she was. She looked up at him shyly and answered 13, Chouji was shocked, she was far too small to be thirteen that would make her three years younger then him and that couldn't be possible.

"Well why don't you go and pick out the candy you want; and then bring it over here and I will pay for it, then we can both go meet Hokage-sama." Chouji said as he sat the girl down, since she was older then he had initially thought.

The girl smiled an went about efficiently picking out the candy she wanted, of course she could have grabbed more but Yukina didn't want Chouji to spend a lot of money on her. Though she still took what she wanted so she didn't insult him in anyway, she wanted to accept his kindness, walking over she placed the candy on the counter and watched as Chouji paid for it. The girl began to quickly eat a chocolate bar she had picked out, as Chouji returned her to his shoulder and began walking to the Hokage tower. Ghor looked at the couple and smiled, Chouji was a kind person and this only solidified the fact.

Ghor turned and noticed they were being trailed by six ninjas all who seemed to be ANBU, thinking nothing off it he continued to walk beside Chouji and take in the sights of a summer afternoon in downtown Konoha the sun was shinning brightly, the birds were out chirping, and the trees rustled with a cool summer breeze. Ghor still kept a mental check of the ninjas following them. Chouji and Yukina just enjoyed their time together during the walk, without a worry in their heads.

Yukina couldn't help it but finding herself hoping that the five men who had "adopted" her wouldn't come back, in truth they had bought her in a small poor village outside of Konoha on the way back from a mission and now she was a slave, forced to do things that some one her age or any age should never be forced to do. She was glad that these last few minutes had been something special for her.

They continued their walk to the tower, as a Mitarashi Anko continued her morning exercise in a nearby training ground, she wanted to become stronger like Naruto-kun had, why she had added –kun mentally she had no clue, but she did know he was powerful, and that was enough to drive her to train. She wanted to get stronger so she could protect this village like the third had, there had been a time when the third was the only one to understand her and she was appreciative of this, she was alone and afraid little girl when Orochimaru had left her to die, and the third had taken her in, even when the others, Kurenai, Kakashi, and Asuma had all shown up and were watching her before their appointment with the Hokage.

"Why do you think she is training so hard?" Kurenai asked as she looked on and watched Anko continually pummel a wooden log with various kicks and punches.

"Maybe she heard some wise words from a wise source; sometimes our inspiration comes from an unlikely source." Kakashi said in a monotone voice rhyming with out realizing it, as he read his book and giggled like a school girl at a shopping spree.

Asuma wondered about what Kakashi meant, he was also feeling a little unmotivated as of late, his entire team had been split up to begin their family training and he hadn't even seen Chouji in three years since returning from that mission. After the mission he and Chouji had a bit of a fight.

_Flashback_

_"Chouji how could you do something so stupid, eating all those pills like that, you could have died, you're lucky your heart held out." Asuma berated him from his seat next to Chouji's hospital bed._

_"I had to Asuma-sensei, Kurenai-sensei was going to be killed and I needed to save her, you told us at the beginning that to be a team we needed to value everyone on it, and she was on our team and I value her and I wasn't going to let her die." Chouji replied trying to reason with his sensei but from the looks of it, failing miserably._

_"Why, why couldn't you accept that one of us could die and that one of us dieing on that mission was a certainty, why Chouji, why must you die for her, why cant you just let those die who are suppose to die?" Asuma asked tears in his eyes because he had almost lost his student and friend._

_"Because, I needed to protect you, Shika, Ino, Kurenai-sensei, Kiba, Shino, and Hinata, you all are some of my precious people, and I needed to be strong to protect you all, besides Ino is always complaining I am to fat. Well now I am not so it's a win-win situation." Chouji tried to joke but didn't seem to be working as Asuma on sighed and hung his head._

_"Why can't you see that you would have hurt us if you died?" Asuma asked again this was his last ditch effort to try to reason with Chouji and make him see the error of his ways._

_"Because I love her, I know I am only 13 but I love her, its weird at some point as I felt my body giving under the strain of my body and I could see Jirobo bringing his hands down to crush her, I knew I needed to kill him, that I loved her more then anything, and don't start lecturing me on knowing what love is, I know it is wrong to like some one older then you but I cant help it, maybe it is the lack of attention from girls my age, but she is an amazing women sensei, and if I could do over what I did out there, I would do it again and again each time knowing I could die to protect those I love." Chouji said as he looked away so his sensei would not see him as he had started to cry._

_Asuma couldn't believe his ears as he listened to the boy cry, here a thirteen year old boy possessed an understanding of love that very few could even begin to fathom, and it just wasn't him, Naruto to shared the same understanding about knowing that if they died protecting their loved ones then they would be true to themselves and true to the village. Asuma pulled the sheet up to Chouji's neck and turned to leave the room but not before stealing the last glance of Chouji he would have for three years._

_End Flashback_

"Yeah, sometimes our motivation comes from places we least expect it, sometimes wisdom is found in those younger in years but wiser in the world." Asuma said as he took a rag of his cigarette and flicked it to the ground.

Kurenai knew what they meant, it was hard to believe but each of their students had the power to become greater ninjas then the village had ever seen, each one of them possessed something greater, some internal force the drove them forward and made them to try harder then others. Will, they had the Will to do it, the Will to stand up and exceed everyone's expectations.

Gai appeared behind them after listening to the conversation from the sidelines and greeted each of them before looking to the training field, Anko was going at it pretty hard and it amazed him at how hard she was going with no sign of tire. Gai looked at Kakashi and gave him a friendly nod, which was returned by a smirking Kakashi, well smirking under his mask.

"Sometimes the slightest wind can stoke the fire enough to send it ablaze and cause it to burn brightly, her Youthful Flames have reignited." Gai said with a smirk as the others sweat dropped to his antics and annoying expression.

Anko stopped for a breather she knew it was close to the time in which she would have to go see the Hokage with the others, she turned and could see them waiting for her, walking over she picked up her jacket and joined them. She smiled slightly as she walked by and gave a curt nod to them all. She was tired; she had been training all day every day since Naruto had left for the cloud. She walked past the group of Jounin and headed for the Hokage tower.

"Anko-chan why are you training so hard all of the sudden, we have seen you going at it all out for like a week straight now?" Asuma asked as he lit a new cigarette and took a fresh puff.

"I had lunch with Uzumaki-san and he said some things that made me wonder about being a ninja, and so then I made a resolution to be strong like him." Anko replied with a hint of admiration in her voice.

Kakashi's eyes widened, she had just said strong like him, how strong was he, he couldn't be stronger then her, because that would mean he was as strong as all of them. Kakashi looked at Gai who had similar thoughts running through his head, Gai gave him a raised brow expression that seemed to ask the silent question..

"What do you mean like him, aren't you stronger then him? You are a Jounin after all, we all are." Kakashi asked with a blank face trying to hide his reasons for the questions.

Anko looked back at him and smiled, he had no clue how much his student had grown over the three years. She guessed that is what happened when you throw a team member at the nearest sensei and hop for the best. Though she reckoned she wasn't being completely fair to Kakashi he did have the hardest team to teach.

"He is a lot stronger then any of us gave him credit for, in fact he is probably stronger then the other rookie nine and Gai's team." Anko replied, as the group fell into silence on the way to the Hokage's Tower.

On the way to the Hokage's Tower...

Chouji and Ghor made it to Hokage tower, still being trailed by the five men; Yukina went rigid as she saw out of the corner of her eye the man nearest to her. Ghor went ahead to announce their arrival and soon the three were escorted into Tsunade's office. Chouji was relieved when he felt Yukina relax on his shoulders; the presence of the five men had made her tense and seem almost ready to bolt.

Tsunade stood and greeted the ninjas with a smile and motioned for them to have a seat. Chouji picked the girl up off his shoulder with her still clutching the candy bag and sat her next to him as he took a seat Ghor flanked her on the other side, to others it looked comical two big men and then the itsy-bitsy girl in between them. Tsunade started to speak but was interrupted when a knock came at the door causing a vein above her eye to bulge under the annoyance of being interrupted.

"COME IN AND IT BETTER BE GOOD!" Tsunade yelled as she slammed a hand down on her desk causing it to collapse under the stress of the blow.

The five men who had been tailing the Chouji and company walked in and bowed in unison "Sorry Hokage-sama we have come for our daughter" the tallest one said looking at Yukina who now was clutching to Chouji with a look of fear evident in her eyes "What's wrong Yukina?" Chouji asked as he stroked her hair trying to calm her.

Afraid to be embarrassed she cupped her hand to his ear and whispered something that caused anger and fury to register on his face, and with a heave he stood up.

"Tsunade-sama is Shizune-san available?" Chouji asked standing up and blacking the path between the ANBU and Yukina.

"Yes she is; Shizune come in here quickly." Tsunade said as her assistant came through the door from her office, Chouji turned and bowed out of respect.

"Chouji-san is that you, my you have grown up." Shizune said as she smiled at the boy.

"Yes Shizune-san I am a bit older now but I have a favor to ask, I need you to go in your office and perform a physical on my friend here Yukina, I need you to check to see if her virtue is broken." Chouji replied smoothly as he picked up Yukina and placed her in Shizune's arms calmly even though he was boiling with rage and ready to strike someone at the slightest thing.

"Yes Chouji-san I can do that, Yukina dear I am Shizune, I am going to do a check up and make sure you're okay." Shizune said as she turned to leave but was stopped by a big hand. Chouji walked around and handed Yukina her candy and kissed her on the forehead: "I'll be right there."

Shizune quickly went into her office and shut the door. The tallest looked to his men and motioned for them to follow her, but Chouji quickly pulled the massive war hammer of his back and pointed it at the five men. "Move and I will crush you" Chouji said his voice filled with anger and his face contorted with fury, meaning every word he said.

"Chouji-san what is this about?" Tsunade asked as she tried to reign in the situation to a some what containable atmosphere before it blew up in her face.

"Simply put these men bought that little girl from a poor village for nothing more then a day's wages." Chouji said as he continued to hold in his anger "I am sorry to hear that but buying slaves is a common practice, the end up serving the clans and nobles." Tsunade said trying to talk the boy down .

"Yes I would suppose so but buying girls to suit your bed needs isn't and the five of them bought her for that purpose." Chouji spat with enough venom to kill an elephant.

"She is ours. It is legal, we want her back." The shortest one came forward and asserted himself, not feeling the surge in chakra coming from the giant man.

"Well Chouji, I had wanted to tell you this under better circumstances but you have been chosen as a member for my personal guard, you along with Shino, Neji, Shika will be on my team led by Naruto, I had called you here to test you and give you your ANBU suit but it seems things have gotten out of control." Tsunade said as she collapsed to her chair rubbing her temples and praying to Kami a bottle of Sake would fall from the heavens and drown her into a stupor.

Shizune took the time to come back into the room and look at Chouji who looked at her expectantly, she just frowned and shook her head no, "Is she you know," Chouji asked but had to stop as bile threatened to erupt from his stomach " No she isn't, but she is emotionally and physically destroyed." Shizune replied as the five Jounin walked in to begin their meeting.

"Tsunade-sama I understand and I accept the offer but I want to choose the test, I want to fight those five ANBU to the death, if I die I am not worthy to be you personal guard and if I live then I am, and I also take Yukina home with me." Chouji said never taking his eyes off the ANBU and leaving the Jounin to wonder what they walked in on as the went over and stood over next to Shizune.

"Do you accept his challenge?" Tsunade said as she looked over at the five ANBU, with a searching look.

"Yes we do, were will this be taking place?" The tallest asked, without hesitation.

"Chuunin exam stadium, now." Chouji said as he disappeared followed by Ghor, Tsunade, and the ANBU.

"What did we walk in on?" Kurenai asked as they looked around confused. Shizune gave a grim frown: "It seems that Chouji met this girl on his way here and those five men bought her in a small village and have been using her for a means of satisfaction, so Chouji chose his test for the squad a five on one battle to the death." Shizune said as she walked in, gathering Yukina and disappeared as well with the five Jounin sensei following her.

They arrived at the Stadium where the fight was taking place and waited for someone to make the first move: "Shizune-san do you think Chouji-kun can win?" Yukina asked looking down at the boy. "He is fighting for his precious person there isn't a force on this planet that could defeat him." Asuma answered for Shizune as he and the others could only stare at the difference between the young man they knew and the man below them.

"Five on one seems hardly fair, are you sure you want to do this." The fat ANBU asked.

"Who said I was going to be doing this alone?" Chouji said as he ran a hand along the side of his breast plate cutting it and slamming it to the ground "**KUCHIYOSE NO JUTSU (SUMMONING TECHNIQUE)" **as the dust cleared standing next to Chouji was a large brown bear .

"Ursula I see you have joined the fight I am glad you have come" Chouji greeted the bear, who licked his nose in reply, Chouji stood up and flew through a serious of small hand seals and shouted "**DOTON: TOUKAI KOUTETSU KUMA NO JUTSU(Earth Release: HIDDEN ARMOR OF THE BEAR) **the on lookers were shocked when they watched Chouji's body become encased in fur, a second set of claws grew above his hands and his teeth grew causing him to be come like a bear his skin was noticeably different as well.

"Ursula we have to kill those five men and we must do it quickly" Chouji commanded as he disappeared and the bear charged the men who charged as well but was cut of as one of them men was suddenly flying back wards heading for a wall with Chouji guiding him the whole way, when the mans body hit the wall he felt claws enter the soft flesh of his stomach and rip upwards disemboweling the man.

**"KATON: KARYU ENDAN (FIRE RELEASE: FIRE DRAGON FLAME BULLET)" **

The tallest man bellowed in rage as a huge dragon of flame swept in on Chouji causing him to howl in pain as his flesh was burnt by the flames, the man let a smile grace his lips, he smiled a bit longer then he should have as Ursula tackled him to the ground and tore the soft flesh of his throat away. The man tried to scream but couldn't as he felt his voice box ripped from his body, the scene froze the remaining three in the spots watching two of their squad brutalized by a boy and a bear was enough for them, Chouji seeing his window of opportunity started forming more seals.

"He's going to use it; this is amazing he is as powerful as you said Ghor." Tsunade said from her spot next to Ghor.

"He's going to use what?" Asuma asked confused looking to his friends for support.

"His elemental bloodline, there are 10 elemental blood lines and His is the element earth, all but two are given to the ninja by the elemental spirit at birth, the others are family bloodlines, Kakashi-san faced the first in wave country by fighting a girl by the name of Haku, the second is held by none other then Uzumaki Naruto who's mother is the head of the clan who holds the most powerful of the ten followed by earth, the element's chose a holder every hundred years or so and consequently the blood lines inherited only unlock their full powers once in that time the dormant blood line his held in a carrier until their child can be given the power and manifest it.", Ghor replied his eyes never leaving the battle field "even the shadows chose a master; the Nara's don't get any favoritism just because they use the shadow's though I am certain their master is Nara Shikamaru."

"How can you be certain of these things, it isn't like it is common knowledge everyone has." Kakashi said putting his book down.

"You're right it isn't but that war hammer is the mark of the earth master and Chouji was chosen for it." Ghor answered as he watched the boy hit his last seal before yelling "**DOTON: SEKI FUCHI NO JUSTU ( EARTH RELEASE: GATE OF THE ABYSS) **The three men were instantly encased by four walls of earth as the ground fell out from under them causing them to fall in to a black abyss.

Chouji collapsed from the chakra use and groaned his flesh was still severely burnt from the flame attack he took head on, Ursula walked over and licked him goodbye as she disappeared in a puff of smoke. Chouji looked up at the eye's of a happy Yukina as he smiled she smiled but cried as well. She was happy because she now had a real family and it didn't seem that bad at all.


	5. Power Exposed

Disclaimer- We don't own Naruto. We do own the non-anime characters.

Chapter 4

**Power Exposed**

All of Naruto's friends were excited over the fact that Naruto was returning home after being gone for 6 months. They all knew that he had left of additional training, but they had no idea where or why, or with whom. They didn't even know when he was going to get there, but they planned on it around sometime in the afternoon. With a sense of anticipation around all of them, they went about their normal activities. What they didn't know was that Jiraiya had already returned and that Naruto was only a short time behind him. With careful steps, Jiraiya sneaked around town and tried to find out as much as he could about how the village felt about his step son. As he made his way toward the Hokage's tower he heard news of a certain ex-fat ninja gaining enormous power and for the life of him, Jiraiya couldn't think of anyone that Naruto knew that used to be fat except: Chouji Akimichi Shaking his head at that misshaped child, Jiraiya wondered what kind of power that the boy had acquired. Taking one of the many shortcuts that criss-crossed the village, Jiraiya came to the Hokage's Tower and felt the surge in one of the chakra signatures that were in the office. Ducking behind a wall, Jiraiya stayed put and waited to see what was going to develop. After seemingly forever, he say the people rush out of the room towards the stadium and followed them realizing that it would be in his best interest to know what was happening. Arriving at the arena, he stayed back and watch the unfolding situation from afar.

With an look of thoughtfulness, he watched Chouji rip apart the 5 ANBU with ease. As Chouji used his element bloodline, Jiraiya knew just how he had defeated them so easily. Looking around the stadium, he saw Tsunade, Shizune, some of the academy teachers and most surprising of all, Ghor. Wondering what this particular man was doing out of the branch house of the Akimichi clan, Jiraiya took a parallel route to the outcast ninja and followed him to a secluded clearing.

Landing, Ghor knew that he was being followed and he also knew by whom. Raising his voice he called out: "You don't and can't hide from me Jiraiya. Come on out." With a sheepish look on his face, the Sannin walked out of hiding and approached his old friend and classmate. "It looks like you have been busy with that boy Ghor. He seems to be of a special variety and unique power with earth Jutsu's.", Jiraiya stated leaning back against a close tree.

"Yes... Chouji is the keeper of the Earth Element. So yes, I guess you could say that he is special and unique.", Ghor said with no little amount of pride in his voice.

"Well I agree with the special part, but not quite on the unique part. See I also have seen and trained a elemental ninja.", the other man said with a educated amount of casualty in his voice. With a calculating look on his face, Ghor looked at the now very interesting man leaning against a tree before him.

"And who might this special ninja be...Hmm...", he asked inquiringly thinking that the Sannin was just messing with his head.

"Why its our favorite idiot and my step-son...Uzumaki Naruto.", the Sannin stated calmly.

_THUD_

Ghor's eyes had just rolled up into his head and he had fainted. Smiling at his friends antics, Jiraiya waited for the other man to awaken.

Groaning, Ghor got up and shook his head. "Do you seriously think that I'm stupid enough to believe that we sealed the king of demons into a Elemental ninja?", Ghor asked fuming that his friend would think him that foolish.

"I do not think that you are foolish. Nor do I think you stupid. I do think that you dishonor me by assuming that I would lie to you.", he replied calmly, but all the while, Jiraiya was laughing manically at the outcast ninja.

"Then you were not lying and one of my nightmares have come true...", Ghor deadpanned, clearly in a state of shock after Jiraiya's pronouncement.

"Don't worry so much. Naruto's element is one of the two that are passes down over the generations. He has been training in the use of his bloodline with his clan in the Cloud Country. In fact he should be arriving at the village at any moment.", Jiraiya said reassuring the older man. Thinking about the reason that Ghor was having a fit over. He realized a demon in possession of a body that had a elemental bloodline would be the end of the world as everyone knew it.

Ghor, he has known Jiraiya for many years, knew that the Sannin would never intentionally lie to him. Knowing this, He walked over to a tree beside the one that the older ninja was leaning against and sat down. Looking up at his old friends face, Ghor saw a thoughtful look and wondered what the great ninja was thinking about.

"I cant lie to you old friend I knew as much, but again one such as me knows most about the elements, the Shadows have chosen Nara Shikamaru, I know this because he posses the Vorpral Daggers." Ghor said as he looked over at Jiraiya who was gazing thoughtfully at the sky

Pushing all thoughts from his mind, Ghor turned his head to the sky and was amazed to find that it was dusk. Gazing out to the sunset, he watched the sky turn from light blue to a deep ruddy pink. Smiling and relaxing into the tree surprisingly comfortable trunk, the old clan outcast sat and enjoyed the peaceful dusk.

Unknown to everyone even his step-father, Uzumaki Hekri Naruto was moving swiftly through the growing darkness towards the village. Having learned all of his mother's clan technique's from her clan in the cloud country, Naruto wanted to learn more about his father, the Yondaime, and his father's techniques. Smirking at the irony of his situation, Naruto silently laughed to himself over the fact that he was one of the most hated people in the village of Konoha, yet his father was none other the Yondaime the savior of that same village.

Kyuubi, who had so far been silent over the journey laughed as well. "**Don't worry Kit. They will recognize your power soon enough. Especially if I have anything to say about it.**", the demon said with quite a bit of conviction.

"What would you do? Have me attack the villagers? I don't think so.", the young yet still powerful shinobi replied, laughing at the fox's obvious disgruntlement. Sending Naruto a mental image of the middle finger, Kyuubi closed his mental connection to him and sulked.

Knowing not to mess with the fox anymore, Naruto returned his attention to his objective: Konoha. Thinking about that place gave Naruto a mixture of feelings. He felt anger for all the wrongs the villagers had done to him. He felt sadness for being abandoned. He felt happiness knowing that some people loved him there, and he felt duty to all of his loved ones that were in that village. Shaking his head at all the conflicting emotions, Naruto pushed that part away from his mind and paid attention to the single person that he knew he had to talk to...Tsunade. Naruto had already prepared his request for the mission and he knew that she would let him go. His only worry was that she would send people out after he left to follow behind him.

Reaching the outskirts of the town, Naruto dropped to the ground and approached the gates with open hands to show that he wasn't armed. With the suddenness of a gust of wind, two guards appeared before him and said with twin voices of authority: "State you name and you business in this village."

Slowly reaching into his cloak's inner pocket, Naruto pulled out his ID wallet, and opened it. "I am Uzumaki Hekri Naruto, ninja of the leaf returning from a training mission.", he stated clearly without a hint of emotion in his voice.

Nodding the heads in twin gestures, the two guards disappeared just as suddenly as they had appeared. With a load groaning sound the two huge gates swung forward on huge hinges and stopped just far enough apart for him to enter. Weirdly enough, the gates closed without a sound. Marking that as something that he would have to look into, Naruto made his way toward his apartment in the almost complete darkness. As he drew near, Naruto saw two things that struck him as unusual. The first thing was the there were people on his doorstep and the other thing was who was on his doorstep. Sakura, Hinata, Anko, Kakashi, Lee, Shikamaru and the Hokage, Tsunade were all waiting for him to show up. Wondering what they could possible want with him, Naruto slipped into an alley and jumped on to the roofs and made his way towards his apartment's rooftop. Using a ledge as a handhold, Naruto dropped down on to his roof and laid down. Using a small amount of Kyubbi's chakra to improve his hearing, Naruto listened in to the conversation that was taking place below him.

"Do you think N-Naruto-kun will get here soon?" Hinata was asking poking her fingers together in the shape of a triangle.

"I don't know, but I do know that he had better or he will get it.", Sakura replied steaming, that she was having to wait for Naruto.

Kakashi, who was just reading one of his favorite books, looked over to Sakura and shook his head. "I doubt he would let you hit him Sakura.", he said with a amused sounding voice.

Anko, who was just listening to the whole conversation noticed a change in the noise level under the overhang of the roof. Quietly pulling out a kunai, she jumped up and stabbed into the roof and was surprised by the sudden grip that wrapped itself around her hand. With a smirk of victory, Anko used the grip as a handhold and pulled out another kunai and again stabbed the roof. She was rewarded with a yelp of pain or surprise. Rushing out into the street after getting up off the ground, she saw just who she had pocked. Naruto who had fallen off the roof and into the street, was dusting himself off and eying the people before him. Tsunade, who saw what had just transpired, fell to the floor clutching her side in laughter. Kakashi, who seemed to have not even twitched during the whole occurrence, simply said: "I taught you better then that. You let her get you where she wanted you." he stated plainly, his eyes never leaving the book.

Naruto, now dirty and ill-tempered, gave his old sensei a death glare and turned to his apartment's door. Using his key he unlocked the door, and without a backward glance, slammed it shut in all the people's face. "It seems that we pissed him off.", Sakura said not realizing the obviousness of that statement. Hinata, who had stood where she was and stared at the love of her life, blushed and nodded, "Well...I guess we can just surprise him tomorrow, early in the morning." Tsunade said with a sigh at the obvious postponement of her plan. Following her example, the rest of the group all headed for home.

Anko, as she walked to her flat near the training grounds, thought about the boy, no Man, that she had seen this night and wondered why she thought about he so much and if she would ever be as strong as him. Shaking her head to clear it, she reached her flat and fell into the bed and was almost instantly asleep.

Naruto, who was still up, sat down at his table and pulled out some sake. With a sharp gesture, he emptied the bottle into his mouth and swallowed, allowing the fiery liquid to seer his throat. Pulling another bottle he downed it in much the same fashion on his way toward his bedroom. With a groan, he flopped onto his bed and stared up at the ceiling, drifting into an uncomfortable slumber.

The next morning...

The next morning, Anko woke up to a beautiful spring day. Getting up and grabbing her training gear, she left to go do her morning session. Heading to her normal place, she was surprised to find Naruto already there practicing his Taijutsu. Sitting down on a near by log, she walked him flow from one position to the next effortlessly. Anko was amazed how he seemed to combine forms and poses seemingly at random and yet still make it look like it was all part of one form.

Naruto, very much aware of the observer, finished off his last Taijutsu and looked over to see who was watching him. Smirking at Anko, Naruto saw the equipment on the ground. Having an idea, Naruto motioned for Anko to spar with him. Smiling a small smile of anticipation, Anko put on her training equipment and waited for him to do the same. When she saw that he made no move to put protective gear on, she gave him a questioning look and asked: "Are you going to wear pads?"

"No. I will fight you as I am.", he replied coolly with a hint of excitement edging his voice. Dropping into a open handed centered fighting stance he motioned for her to come at him. Taking his invitation, Anko rushed him swinging a fist toward his face. Blocking with a open hand with ease. He used her momentum to throw her over his shoulder and into a tree. Flipping at the last moment, Anko used the tree as a platform and jumped off it heading straight for Naruto once again. Smirking at her obvious ploy, Naruto simply side-stepped and reached behind him and grabbed at the air, except the air wasn't air. He had grabbed Anko as she appeared behind him, and again threw her away. Landing on her feet, it was she this time that motioned for her opponent to attack her. Smiling coldly, Naruto disappeared and reappeared just in front of her and poked her with a dull kunai in the throat and heart. With a backward jumped, he landed a feet dozen feet away from her and put the dagger away. "It seems that you still have much training to do.", he said without a hint of arrogance or superiority in his voice.

"Let's do it again, but this time we use ninjutsus." she said by way of reply. Dropping into her fighting stance she made quick seals and threw her hands outward toward him. With a slithering hiss, the snakes wrapped themselves around his arms and legs. Smirking at the jutsu, Naruto pushed some of his demon chakra into his arms and legs and burned the snakes forcing the snakes to let him go. With a evil smile, Naruto activated his bloodline.

"**Dance of the Thunder God"**, he cried, and with a crackling of power his body began to change. His once blue eyes turned white and started to spark and dance with electricity. His body seemed to gain even more tone and power. The very air around him snapped and popped with lightning. Even as she watched the transformation, she felt the air around herself grow thick and heavy, and with surprise written all over her face she saw that she was surrounded by bolts of lightning.

Naruto, who was watching his opponent from where he stood, saw that he had won the fight. Withdrawing his power, Naruto shutdown his bloodline and stood up from his stance. With a bow to Anko, he went over and grabbed his coat and left the field.

Anko, with a sigh of relief, watched him go with a strange look upon her features. Mentally shaking herself, Anko started her daily training regimen.

As he walked away, Naruto thought about what he had seen when he had used his bloodline on Anko. He saw her face become pale and terrified, and he had watched as she had began to tremble from the amount of power that the first stage of his bloodline was outputting. With a shake of his head, he returned his thoughts back to what had happened the night before and as he did so, he began to wonder what all those people had been doing at his apartment. He knew that they were there for him, but not the purpose of the visit. Deciding to confront Tsunade on the matter, he turned his feet towards the center of the village and the tower that stood there. Arriving at the Tower, Naruto was almost run over by a hurrying Sakura as she came barreling out of the doorway.

Sakura, seeing Naruto standing there, stopped and grabbed his hand and pulled him toward the tower. Naruto, who was more curious then worried, let her lead him and followed her to the Hokage's office. With a sigh, Tsunade saw them walk in and motioned for them to sit. Naruto looked around and saw many people who he knew. Kakashi, Chouji (now skinny and buff), Lee, Sakura, Shikamaru, Shino, Neji, Hinata, and many others there as well.

Clearing her throat, Tsunade walked to the front of her desk and leaned against it. "I brought you all here today for one reason... Sasuke has been sited."

A/N: Cliffhanger..MUHAHAHAHA... Anyways... Please Read and Review (ones that we can read mind you) and please keep on reading.


	6. Feelings Revealed

Disclaimer- We don't own Naruto. We do own the non-anime characters.

Chapter 5

**Feelings Revealed**

Naruto was back and it seemed he would have his chance to bring his friend back where he belongs, home, within the walls of Konoha. Sasuke had no business running away, and Naruto knew that his and everyone else's strength has and will always come from protecting those who a person loves, he was doing this because he loved Sakura so much, she may never have feelings for him but he would always love her.

"Where was he sighted", Naruto asked as he looked from Sakura to Tsunade with a grim expression.

" He was seen near the Valley of the End, he seems to be waiting for someone or something, we don't know what exactly… But, he is there… we are sending a team to go and try to bring him back again, and Naruto I would like **_you_** to lead the team." Tsunade replied looking at the boy with a smirk flashing across her features.

Naruto threw her a puzzled look, how was he to lead if everyone else technically out ranked him? He was dumbfounded, Tsunade again that annoy smirk of hers'. This just furthered his annoyance, he crossed his arms and looked mildly displeased, which caused Tsunade to outright grin.

"What's wrong little brother your pea-sized brain tired from over-working itself, maybe you should sit and let me explain some more things." Tsunade teased. Naruto's reply was merely sticking his tongue out at her and sitting next to Anko who was sitting to the right of Sakura.

"First your team leader because besides Jounin, ANBU captain would be a ranking position especially in the field, and that is where you will be going, but if you don't want the job I am sure I can find another ninja." Tsunade said aloud to no one in particular but Naruto interrupted her.

"NANI, how am I an ANBU captain when I'm not even a jounin yet… and who's on my team?" Naruto asked as he looked around at the people in the room.

Shino, Chouji, Shikamaru, and Neji all stood up wearing black capes and with animal masks on their faces: Bear for Chouji, Panther for Shika, Neji sported the mask of a Hawk, and finally Shino had some weird bug mask on looked like a Giant Dragonfly, Naruto smiled as he looked at Tsunade who was standing with a Fox mask and folded black hooded cape.

Naruto walked up and accepted the cape as he looked around the room, he couldn't help but feel proud, the warm smiles from the former gennin sensei's and his friends made him feel good. He slowly twirled the cape and put it on it was good for him to do it was moment where he was garnered recognition, it was his and his alone, he slowly slip the fox mask on, it was perfect.

"Thank you baa-chan, I won't let you or my team down, I will wear this mask proudly. But I would like to know how I can be an ANBU captain when I was just a gennin." Naruto replied as Tsunade clenched her fist and let the bulging vein over her eye die down by counting to ten, the others in the room would have never gotten away with calling her granny, but Naruto was Naruto and he was giving certain liberties.

"Well, when you left with Jiraiya, I went to the council and gave them as many examples of your bravery and strength. After that I called for a vote on giving you the status of a Jounin. One of the worse council members said that they might as well make you an ANBU captain as long as they were going to give a _demon_ more status. The council agreed with him and voted in a majority for you to be given the rank of Jounin and ANBU captain."

Naruto knew what this meant; he was going to get Sasuke back… for both Konoha and for Sakura. Sakura, his only love, he had long abandoned any hope for them to be together, all that mattered know was her being happy, and that meant getting Sasuke and dragging his ass back to Konoha as soon as possible.

"Then I will bring Sasuke back, even if I have to die to do it, he will come back to the village one way or another." Naruto said with a grave tone and a look of determination on his face.

"Why does one of you have to die, cant both of you come home, I couldn't take it if you died Naruto." Sakura said with a strangled voice as she jumped to her feet.

"Of course you wouldn't" Naruto let a bitter laugh escape his lips, "Who else would you yell at and hit, who else would you call annoying, and who else would you reject every time he asked you out." He said with an even tone as he looked away.

"Naruto that's not fair, I agree I did some horrible things but nothing was nearly as bad as you make it out." Sakura defended herself strongly even as she realized the falseness of her statement.

"Not as horrible as I make it, I loved you Sakura with every fiber of my being and I still do, you treated me like shit, and Kakashi-sensei… He could only focus on that bastard Uchiha, he treated me equally as bad, but no matter what I still love you and him, I have resigned myself to knowing I could never have you, so I will make you happy and by making you happy I will be happy, I will bring Sasuke home, and if I have to die to do it I will." Naruto finished as he looked into Sakura's eyes.

"That's not fair to us, your friends, bringing back one person at the expense of another, if it came down to that… We would much rather have you then him." Chouji said standing up and walking over to his new captain, one of his best friends.

Naruto wanted to quickly change the topic, looking around the room he noticed Chouji large war hammer, and Shika's daggers. He also noticed red and black runes on the weapons, just like his stafff. He decided he would ask about those and steer this conversation in a different direction.

"So you two are elemental warriors, I can tell by the runes on your weapons, and it isn't every day you see living shadows radiating off daggers, they're almost as cool as my weapon." Naruto boasted with a smile, while Chouji and Shika just gave the boy an "as if" look. Seeing the look, Naruto just simply to a long thick shaft of wood of his back.

"So you have a big stick, big deal, my hammer and even Shika's daggers are cooler then that." Chouji said as Shika just raised an eyebrow.

"How troublesome, my blades are better then that giant tool, we will call you when we have to fight an over sized nail." Shika replied to Chouji's jest and smirked a little.

"Yes a big stick, but it is more then just a big stick." Naruto said as he channeled chakra into the long weapon and two blades unsheathed, the blades were black obsidian like the hammer and daggers with red runes inscribed on them.

Anko looked at the weapon and thought that it was indeed a nice weapon. It looked very efficient and deadly all things she seemed to like in a man and a weapon, Naruto had been on her mind for awhile now, every since the first time she saw him on the training field, his body built and well toned, thick legs, long toned arms and blue eyes that a person could get lost in. Anko for the first time since Orochimaru, realized that she wanted someone and need to feel wanted back.

Chouji used the lull in conversation to catch a glimpse of Kurenai-sensei, she was looking at him with her rose like red eyes, he sighed knowing he could slip into oblivion looking into her eyes and never know it. She was his reason for being him, he wanted to be strong so he would never have to worry about her possibly getting hurt again. Kurenai could she the desire in his eyes and blushed slightly; she hadn't dated since the attack in the forest because of Chouji's words.

Naruto looked around the room and noticed Anko looking at him intently, he smirked to himself, Anko noticed him looking and blushed slightly, this caused Naruto to chuckle, finally someone had taken notice, it was weird but not entirely unwanted, Anko was a very sexy women and feisty something he seemed drawn to. Anko saw him chuckle and then caught the hint of recognition in his eyes as he swept his gaze over her body, to take in the sights, something he had learned from his perverted sensei no doubt.

Tsunade noticed the silence between the four and also noticed the looks and stares, she figured it was only time before she had two new couples running around and she would have to advise them on the dangers of dating fellow shinobi. Tsunade smiled though she wouldn't mind that talk though, Naruto and Chouji deserved something like that as did Anko, and Kurenai. She could almost see all the broken hearted males of the village mourning the loss of such fine and sexy women.

Chouji looked at Naruto, as the boy's eyes met, there was a common unspoken promise between the two, they were going to bring the bastard back and dole out some ass kicking's in the mean time. Chouji decided it was time to test his leader, and to find out his power, so he started raising his chakra, the Hokage noticed the spike and looked at him, she was going to stand to say something but Jiraiya told her to sit down and watch. Chouji's hammer began to glow and the earth around the tower began to tremble slightly.

"Are you trying to scare me Chouji or are you testing my strength, how about you Shika does your elemental not like being third in command or should I put Shino in that position after all his elemental is just as powerful." Naruto said as he activated his bloodline and lighting started to strike the ground around the tower, the windows blew inward as lighting cam through and attacked the obsidian blade on his glaive, the onlookers could feel his chakra level rapidly rising and noticed his eyes enveloped in a bluish-white light.

"Uzumaki-san how do you know of my elemental?" Shino asked with an even tone but he was still amazed at Naruto's insight.

"Come now Shino-san, I am one of two men who can here the planet talk, and the Nature elemental screams with joy, they have found one greater then the man who built the forest, I am sure Ghor-san heard it as well." Naruto said as he turned to Ghor and looked at him with his unsettling blue eyes, radiating power all the while.

"Yes I heard it, but I wonder what his symbol is, if yours is the glaive then what is his, sword, bow?" Ghor asked looking back at Shino for an answer.

"His body, Nature like Lighting is a very possessive elemental, when you give yourself to them it is with your entire body, Shino show them." Naruto commanded as Shino started to gather Chakra and red runes appeared on his face and neck.

The crowd in the office was stunned, the people there still had no clue what the elementals were but they seemed strong and powerful, so strong and powerful that the very earth was shaking with the power the four boys were putting off. Naruto kept raising his chakra, he was ready, the battle in the valley would be epic, monumental, and nothing would stop his team, nothing. With a power-filled shout, the sky seemed to exploded as lighting bolts began to travel up and down the streets, scouring them. Naruto knew Sasuke could see this, he was putting off enough of energy to show that anyone one could see it for miles.

"We leave in an hour, go talk to your family and love ones, say good bye, pack nothing, we go as is, remember we might not come back so if you have anything to say to some one say it now." Naruto said as he disappeared from the room in a blur, no one noticed Anko disappear either.

Chouji looked at Kurenai and breathed lightly "Kurenai-sensei could I talk to you for a minute" Kurenai nodded her head yes "Alone." Chouji finished as he walked out the door and down the steps followed be a quiet Kurenai. They stopped and faced one another: "Kurenai-sensei, I am sorry I haven't been around for the last three years, and I am sorry I didn't visit you after I got out of the hospital, but I needed to do this, and I want you to know that I am glad I am going, I will kill him." Chouji said looking at her with and even expression and with a hope filled heart waited for her reply.

After seemingly eternity, Kurenai said: "It's okay, but please come back, you can kill him all you want, but if you don't come back then how can we become anything?" Kurenai asked as Chouji looked surprisingly shocked and gladdened at the same time.

"Ho-H-How do you know how I feel?" Chouji stuttered trying to cope with the sudden realization that Kurenai knew his true feelings.

"Asuma told me of the bed side talk you two had, and told me that was the reason we couldn't date, because someone loved me more then anything and that I should wait for him." Kurenai replied with a small smile.

"I will be back." Chouji said as he took Kurenai's hand and kissed flat to his face, before disappearing in a swirl of leaves.

Naruto stood at Hokage monument and looked at his fathers face, he was going to bring back the village's precious Uchiha. He would be doing this for his father and Oji-san, he owed the snake bastard for killing the man who had treated him better then a son and that was Saturobi, he would bring Sasuke back and then go after Orochimaru. While he was thinking he missed Anko walking up quietly and standing next to him.

Clearing her throat to gain his attention, Anko asked: "Naruto-kun, do you think you could love some one else, like you love Sakura?" Anko asked with a bit of nervousness, not really expecting and good answer for her. Naruto smirked at kun Anko had added, only one girl called him that and it was Hinata, but nothing could happen between him he now carried a name of the cloud, and he was dreading that confrontation with Hiashi and Hinata.

"If it is you I think I can learn to love you, if you are asking me to give you a chance if or when I come back." Naruto replied as he looked at the raven haired beauty and smiled shyly for the first time in his life, wishing that his feelings about her would prove true.

"Come back to me." Anko said as she lightly kissed Naruto's cheek and vanished as silently as she had arrived.

Meanwhile in the Hokage's Tower, Shino was walking towards the door as Shizune grabbed his hand and pulled him back. Shino looked back at her and took off his sun glasses which surprised the slightly older woman, Shino looked down at her hand, it was soft and filled with care, when he had found out his dad had arranged his marriage with the Hokage-sama he was slightly pissed, but when he found out it was Shizune, it seemed to become less of a problem.

"Please come back to me, I don't think I could lose you with out losing all purpose in life." Shizune said quietly with a blush and a squeeze of his hand.

"It's funny, isn't it Shizune-chan, when we found out about our arranged marriage we were mad but now the prospect of me not coming back, makes me realize that our wedding day will be a good day to live and wait for." Shino said as he kissed her fingers lightly and disappeared in whirl of bugs.

Kiba looked put-out and Ghor could tell he was upset that he wasn't chosen for this mission. Kiba looked down dejectedly before getting up roughly and walking for the door.

"You shouldn't worry Kiba-san there is coming a day when your beasts shall fight for this village, believe me when I say your elemental, for you do have one, is no less important then theirs, we will need you in the war that is to come." Ghor said looking at the boy who smirked and walked out the door feeling a little better about his postion in life.

Neji and Shika were standing with Tenten and Ino while the others walked away, "You two come back alive you hear or we might have to kill you." Ino said with a Hmph and a crossing of her arms.

"How troublesome…, how can you kill us if we are dead?" Shika asked in a bored tone. Ino made to protest but Shika quickly kissed her open mouth making her melt into his embrace and forget what she was going to say at the intensity of the kiss.

Neji turned to Tenten "Don't worry I will be back I just got to make sure Naruto-san doesn't do something stupid and get himself killed" Neji said as he took her hand and cupped his face with it.

Shika broke his kiss and leaned forehead to forehead with Ino, "We will be back, don't worry about it, all of us even Sasuke" then him and Neji disappeared.

"So it has begun." Ghor said as he stood on the roof of the tower and looked to the sky. With a final look toward the main gates, Ghor returned to the Hokage's office and the waiting that was to come.

A/N: Thx to all the reviewers…. Please continue to read and review (more ones that we can read.) and if you can we really could do with a bigger fan-base (hint… cheap advertising hint). THX.


	7. AUTHORS NOTE!

Disclaimer – We don't own Naruto. We do own the non-anime characters.

Author's Note 

Hey guys…. This is dskwolf… part of the naruto life project… I am here to say we will be updating very soon… We haven't so far because of finals and such. So look forward to a new exciting chapter of Naruto's Life very soon.

Also if you would like a chapter that explains some of the events in this story plz go to the forum and post what you want explained and if we get enough replies, there will be a flashback chapter for that purpose.

DSKWOLF


	8. Explanations

Disclaimer- We do not own Naruto. We do own the non-anime characters.

A/N: Hi this is dskwolf/bikou.. author of this part of Naruto's Life... and i would just like to say sorry for the long wait... I had to study for finals... The chapters should becoming more regularly now that its summer... again Sorry...

Chapter 6

**Explanations**

Naruto and his team which consisted of: Shikamaru, Shino, Chouji, Neji, and himself, had slowly made there way toward there destination and objective: The Valley of the End and the man that was in it: Uchiha Sasuke ex-ninja of the leaf. Both, Shika and Neji, had become the unofficial scouts of the group and they had report that they had sensed some of their old comrade's chakra signature within the valley. Naruto, who had become quieter the closer they got to there destination, merely nodded and returned to his thoughts as he sat by the camp fire. With heavy sigh, the teams leader, got up and headed toward the near by spring to find a place to think and meditate.

Chouji, who had always thought of Naruto as a loud-mouthed but friendly idiot, immediately saw the difference in the leaders demeanor and tried to figure out just what could have cause such a drastic change in Naruto's usual behavior. Deciding to get the answers straight from the source, Chouji followed the young shinobi toward the spring in hopes of getting a good answer without all the other team members around.

"Hey Naruto... You alright?", he asked the blonde shinobi praying that Naruto would open up for once in his life.

"Yea.. I'm fine Chouji. Go back to the camp and get some rest. We have a big day tomorrow.", with that said Naruto disappeared from view and even with his now enhanced vision Chouji couldn't see where the young ANBU captain had gone. With a shake of his head, he took Naruto's advice and returned to camp for the rest he knew that he would need.

Naruto had used one of the jutsus that he had invented while he and his step-father had been gone on their 3 year training session. It allowed the user to move between two points almost instantly, although it comsumed a massive amount of energy. Jiraiya had said that it had greatly resembled the Hiriashin jutsu, but with out the kunai that the former jutsu needed to be activated. He had smiled at the thought of himself creating a jutsu that so closely resembled his now dead father's. Now using that technique, it caused him to think of what he would have to do the next day. He would have to kill or maim the man he now considered his brother. Even though both Naruto and Sasuke had appeared to hate each other, they both seemed to grow on one another and eventually accept each other as teammates and maybe even as brothers...

_FLASHBACK_

_Naruto and Sasuke were sparring and both seemed to be wearing down at the same rate. Sasuke, who was impressed that Naruto had kept up this long with out outside help, noticed that Naruto seemed to be holding back something. With a smirk, Sasuke back-flipped away from their latest clash and landed on a nearby tree branch._

"_It seems to me that you are withholding something Naruto. Didn't I say that I wanted you to go all out? By not doing so, you can assume that you still haven't learned to obey orders.", Sasuke said with a slight bit of sarcasm in his voice._

_His expression not changing, Naruto allowed the barrier the he had erected around the better part of his chakra pool to fall away. With a grin he watched Sasuke's jaw slacked and fall open before shutting quickly._

_Amazed that a genin and of all the genin, Naruto the dead last, could have all the power, Sasuke began to wonder just what he had asked Naruto to do._

_With the foxy smile of his plastered on his face, Naruto again began to run straight for Sasuke. Reaching out with his left hand, he caught the young Uchiha by the ankle just before the other boy could get away... Using the kunai that he held in his right hand, Naruto stabbed toward his captives navel. Hitting it with a fleshy sound, Naruto yelped in surprise as the body that he had just been holding disappeared in a puff of ninja smoke. Shaking his head at his own gullibility, Naruto jumped back to avoid being impaled on the end of a fire blacked and sharpened log that had been catapulted at him. He avoid the attack... mostly. He received a gash along the length of his arm for his trouble. With an inward sigh, the young blonde watched the wound heal right before his eyes._

_Sasuke, who was watching the whole time to see the effectiveness of his trap, was amazed at the sight of Naruto healing so quickly. Thinking about it, Sasuke knew that no normal human could heal that quickly naturally, so thinking along those lines Sasuke realized that the dobe had used a jutsu that Sasuke hadn't seen. Pushing the those thoughts from his mind, the young avenger looked back toward where Naruto stood and realized that the blonde had vanished. With a sigh, Sasuke climbed higher into the tree in hopes of getting a clearer view of the surrounding area. Just as he reached for the top most branch, the whole tree shook violently and threw him off of it. Trying to regain his balance, Sasuke got it just he went into a tree. Landing on the tree trunk, he looked around and saw the young fox boy coming at him with weapons bared. Using the trunk as a jump off point the heir launched himself at Naruto and slammed a fist in the blonde's right cheek. With a poof the Naruto vanished and Sasuke felt a piece of cold metal touch the base of his neck. Feeling the warmth of breath on the back of his neck, Sasuke dropped his weapon and raised his hands._

"_It looks like I won teme.", Naruto said cheerfully if a little weary pasting a huge grin on his features._

_With a look of annoyance, Sasuke stalked off without acknowledging the other boys words. Inside the young heir was fuming, he had been beaten by the dead last of his graduating class, with a realization the your avenger knew that he now considered Naruto a worthy opponent. Slamming a fist into a nearby tree the Uchiha walked back to the village completely unaware that a pair of blues eyes had been watching him._

_END FLASHBACK_

Wiping his eyes on his sleeve, Naruto knew that he had been gone to long and that he needed to return to camp and maybe take the advice that he had given Chouji. With a sigh, Naruto made it back to the camp and fell into an unrestful sleep, dreaming about who knew what.

The Next Morning... (A/N: The other battles will be posted in the next chapter… If you wanted the other battles then thank all the people that sent emails to us. THX AGAIN!)

Naruto awaken to find that all of his teammates, except Shika, were gone. Trying to get up without waking Shika, Naruto moved toward the said ninja's bedroll only to find that the other man was wide awake and looking at the passing clouds.

"They told me to stay here and wait for you to wake up, and when you did to tell you that they were out scouting." the lazy ANBU said with an air of indifference about him. "And now that that troublesome business is out of the way I can concentrate on my cloud watching."

With a chuckle, Naruto nodded his head and made his way to the stream that he had been at yesterday and did the necessary things that are required in the morning. Finishing up, Naruto tried to sense the other members of his team. Reaching out his his chakra, Naruto found the signatures of his friends and noted where they were. What cause him the now present worry that was gracing his features was the fact that there were 5 other signatures that weren't part of his teams and one of those signatures seemed to be eerily familiar.

Hurrying back to camp, Naruto explained everything to Shika who immediately left to gather the other members of their ANBU squad. Still reaching out with his mind, Naruto watched all the signatures as they converged on one area: right were he was standing. Leaping away and into a tree, Naruto barely escaped being impaled by rock-like missiles shot at him by none other the Jiroubou of the sound 4. Landing a few meters away from the other ninja, Naruto watched as the first of his team arrived.

Chouji, who had felt the other signatures as they began to move was already heading back to the camp when he saw Jiroubou nearly kill Naruto with an earth dragon cannon jutsu. Remembering the last meeting between Jiroubou and himself, Chouji smirked at the twist of fate that would allow him to get his revenge on the man that had nearly killed him and his sensei.

Turning toward the sound Nin, Chouji smiled and bowed: "I hope you remember me Jiroubou, for I remember you. I want to thank you for showing me the way to get stronger and be able to protect my loved ones." he said with a serious face.

Jiroubou, who was at a loss about who this man was that stood before him, continued to stare at him.

"It seems that you don't remember me... Or you do but the change in my appearance has caused your tiny brain to draw a blank. Let me help you: I am Chouji Akimichi and we met not to long ago.", the once fat nin said chuckling at the other ninja's still obviously confused expression.

With the suddenness of a lightning bolt, the sound nin remembered the teen-aged boy before him. His mouth grew to form a mutated grin that seemed to only make his ugly mug look even more like a monkey's backside. Chouji, who his opponents new expression, resisted the urge to puke and dropped into a battle stance. "Naruto... Go after the objective. This baka is mine to deal with.", he said in a calm yet forceful voice leaving Naruto no room to argue.

With one last glance, Naruto jumped into a tree and speed off toward the whole point of the mission: Sasuke.

With Naruto...

All of Naruto's other teammates were much in the same situation... They were all facing off against the same sound nins that they had previously fought on the last mission to retrieve Sasuke, the one that Naruto had been gone for...

Naruto, after checking on all of the other battles, knew that it was time to do what they had come here for... get Sasuke back or _eliminate _any threat that he will pose in the future.

Chouji vs.: Jirobo...

Chouji was rushing at the sound Nin using the speed he had gained from his new training regimen to surprise his opponent. Throwing a set of kunai at Jirobo, Chouji ran in to deliver a devastating roundhouse kick to the side of the other nin's head, when all of a sudden he was sucker punched right in the kidney.

Feeling the satisfying feeling of his fist connecting with his opponent's body, Jirobo gasped in surprise when the body disappeared in chakra generated smoke. Realizing that the person that he had just punched was a clone, he dropped into a defensive crouch and prepared to guard against any attack. Only thing wrong with the stance that he had used was that it left one giant opening. With a rumble, Chouji appeared from under the sound nin's feet and grabbed his ankles before attempting to throw the now upside-down man into a tree.

Quickly pulling a kunai, Jirobo shoved it into Chouji's stomach and smiled when he felt warm liquid flow across his hand. Looking down, his smile instantly vanished. The warm liquid that he had left was nothing more then water. Looking up at the body's face, he saw a large smile plastered on its features. With a violent yank, he pulled the dagger out of the body and watched as it disappeared in a splash of water. Again in the same stance that he had used earlier, he heard and saw two stars coming right for him. Grinning, he dodged both and prepared to block the next attack. Hearing a puffing sound from behind him, he realized his mistake but was to late to do anything about it. Turning his head, he took a straight armed right jab to his left cheek and was thrown back into a stand of trees.

Chouji, who smirked at the ease in which he had just decked his opponent, rushed in and tried to give the finishing blow but before he could, he was made to jump and flip to the side to dodge the incoming Earth dragon that Jiroubou had used while he was rushing at him. Landing on the ground, Chouji decided that maybe he should take a page out of Naruto's book. "**Kage Bunshin No Jutsu" **(if you need to translate this move then I seriously think that you are watching the wrong anime D). Suddenly there seemed to be dozens of Chouji's in the middle of the clearing. Chouji, who was taken aback at the sudden appearance of many more him smiled, now he knew why Naruto loved this technique so much. With a cry, he ran forward at top speed at battered his way past Jirobo's defenses along with his clones. Pummeling the sound nin, each clone eventually disappeared as Jiroubou managed to hit one every time they came again.

Jiroubou, realizing that how useless it was to continue to fight at this level, turned his level one curse seal to the max. With an evil leer, he bolted forward with inhuman speed and rammed his fist straight into the leaf nin's gut. Pulling away, he watched as Chouji coughed up some blood, with an even more evil smile he came out him again and just before he got into kicking distance, he was thrown bodily into a tree. Getting up with a grunt of annoyance, he turned to the still bent over ninja and growled in even more annoyance as he saw the leaf nin puff away and leave a unhurt Chouji in its place. Now openly gaping at the well built youth before him, Jiroubou couldn't help but acknowledge the obvious training that this man had undergone. With that thought in his mind, the sound Nin decided to pull out all stops. Stepping into the left side of the clearing, he activated his level two curse seal.

Chouji, who was standing and watching his slightly heaving opponent, check himself over mentally. He was down to half of his entire normal chakra and he was tiring fast, especially now that the sound Nin had obviously activated the second level of the cursed seal. He could tell that the man had used it because of the sudden increase in the other man's chakra levels, not to mention the fact that he was nearly covered in the marks on the seal and the purple haze that symbolized the seal. Deciding that it was time to finish this fight once and for all, Chouji used his own trump card.

"**Gachan no Koudo Tenshu No Jutsu **(Crash of the Earth God Technique)", he yelled with a ever deepening voice. Suddenly his body seemed to be encased in stone, but it was extremely flexible. With a yank Chouji pulled out his war hammer, who's runes were glowing madly with an eerie light. With a cry, he sped forward, right for his opponent.

Jirobo, who was amazed at the sudden change in his opponents appearance, barely dodged the large hammer as it came to cave his head in. Putting some chakra into his fist, Jirobo punched Chouji and was rewarded with a chunk of the stone, which fell off, but for his bravery his hand seemed to shatter into a million pieces. Jumping back while holding his useless hand, Jirobo knew that if he didn't do something fast that this could very well be the end for him. He was so absorbed in his thoughts that he missed the fist that slammed itself into his midsection and made him cough up a large amount of blood. Crumpling to the floor, the sound Nin knew that it was the end. As he lay on the ground, his life flashed before his eyes. He saw every good and bad thing that he had ever done. He knew where he was headed and for the first time in his life, he wished that he could go back and change his life.

Chouji, who knew exactly what was happening thanks to his elemental, thought to give this obviously deprived man a small token of forgiveness.

"**DOTON: SEKI FUCHI NO JUSTU ( EARTH RELEASE: GATE OF THE ABYSS)** ", he whispered as he made the right hand seals.

Jiroubou was surrounded by four walls of pure stone. He heard a rumbling sound from below him and then he was suddenly falling down into a pitch black hole. As he fell, he noticed that it became harder to think and do anything else. With a gasp of realization, his last action of his life was to smile in thanks to the young man that had shown him the first bit of kindness in many years.

Chouji, released his bloodline and allowed it to fade away. With a groaning rumble, the ground resealed itself and settled back into its original position. Thinking about he had just done, Chouji knew what he had done was right.(A/N: The gate of the abyss jutsu sends a person to a eternal place were the mind will remain silent forever. The person will not be tortured in the fires of the nine hells or see the splendor of the 4 gates of heaven.) With a groan, he got up from where he had fallen, from the chakra usage of that particular technique and quickly took a soldier pill and a energy pill. Jumping into the tree's Chouji went to go and help his other teammates.

Naruto Point-of-View...

He had arrived at the end of the Valley were the two statues of the First and Second Hokage's sat in all their glorified beauty. Dropping to the ground, he walked toward the waterfall the fell in between the 2 monoliths and gazed up in wonder at the majestic beauty that nature had carved. (A/N: Japanese people back in the day loved nature in all its aspects... so I thought that I might put that in the story too.)

"So... It seems that you did come." a cold and harsh voice said from behind Naruto.

Twisting around sharply, Naruto came face to face with his old teammate and friend. 'Wow.. He has changed. He seems even more twisted now then he was back then, Although that just might be the cursed seal that is affecting him.' Putting his emotionally unreadable mask on his face, he turned to one of the last Uchiha clan members and stared him right in the eye. "Yes... I did come. I came to complete the promise I made and stop you from making one of the biggest mistakes of your life.", he replied coolly, all the while looking for signs of other people in the clearing.

"Stop looking around dobe... Its just you and me here." Sasuke replied to the other mans searching gaze.

With a silent sigh of relief, Naruto returned his eye's to the others man and they entered into a sort of staring contest, except if you blinked you were either severely injured (in Naruto's case) or dead.

Other ANBU team members...

Chouji, who had met up with Shino first, distracted his comrade's foe while the bug user sent some of his more lethal destruction bugs at Tayugya. Just before the woman died, Shino sent one of his other bugs that injected a venom that stopped body functions but kept the body healthy. Shino and realized the value of the woman and the information that she could provide them. With a sigh they moved on to find their other teammates.

After a while they had fought and defeated the sound 4 in one way, shape, or form. Each sound nin, had expressed grief over their actions and the ANBU members despite their training did their best to end the suffering for their enemies.

Now that all the secondary objectives had been achieved they decided to find the main one and try to help Naruto accomplish the best of the two objectives.

With Sasuke and Naruto...

"Hmm... You came with help? Really Naruto... I'm surprised the great Uzumaki Naruto needs help with little o' me.", Sasuke sneered as he started making hand signs.

Naruto, who noticed his opponents hand movements, dropped into a defensive stance and waited to try to deflect whatever the Uchiha might throw at him.

Sasuke, saw the change in his old friends leg positions and couldn't help but smile maliciously. Don't worry... I'm not attacking you.. yet.", he said and with that he clapped his hands together forcefully and called out: **"Baria-oto No Jutsu **(Barrier of sound technique)", and with that the area surrounding the two ex teammates suddenly became deathly quiet. "That should keep out any of those pests." he said with no little amount of satisfaction.

Naruto, still standing in the same spot, silently watched Sasuke, and hoped that he could drive some sense into the other man...

With ANBU...

Neji, who was leading the team with his bloodline active, saw the bubble of chakra and felt the large chakra signatures that were within it. Landing on a tree next to the bubble, he slowly reached out his a hand and tried to touch it. With a jolt of pain and energy, Neji was blasted backwards and was only saved from being impaled on a tree branch was the fact the Shika was with behind him and had caught him. "It seems that we arrived to late." he said with a deadpanned voice, clearing trying to figure out a way to get under the barrier.

With Sasuke...

"It seems that your friends tried to come through my wall, and it seems that it worked perfectly. So I think that this will be a good time as any to start don't you?", he said plainly. Rushing Naruto, Sasuke threw kunai and stars at the container and tried to stab him his kunai that he held in the standard fashion: point down along the underside of the arm.

Twisting away from the incoming projectiles, Naruto pulled one of his own daggers and blocked Sasuke's strike with ease. Using his barely superior strength, he pushed the other boy away and crouched into the his clan taught stance...

(A/N: More cliffhangers... Again sorry for the long wait for the update.. I had to study for finals... So Sorry... Please read and review... AND I MEAN POST A REVIEW SO WE CAN READ THEM... P.s. Thanks to all the people that stuck with us dispite the long wait... and if you didn't well expect a fire-breathing dragon to be sitting on your doorstep waiting for its meal to walk out the door. (meal ppl that didn't stick with us... XP!) THX.)


	9. Unexpected Reasons

Disclaimer- We do not own Naruto. We do own the non-anime characters.

Chapter 7

**Unexpected Reasons**

Naruto noticed the water to his left and slowly started to walk on the water and waved for Sasuke to join him, as he took in his surroundings, it seemed a good place for the battle not like he could go anywhere, he was trapped in there with Sasuke. He was sure the bubble would dissipate when this fight ended. He only hopped that it would end on a good note not with one or both of their deaths, though he had long decided he was expendable.

Looking up the bluish sky he sighed, it was such a nice day and he doubted that any of their enemies had taken the time to just breathe, to appreciate what everyone had taken for credit, the earth, nature, the elements. He smiled, he lived for this, the quiet moments before battle, it was the one time that a warrior was at peace with himself, and his smile faded as he looked at Sasuke and wondered what the battle was to tell. Looking around he saw his fellow teammates arriving but werestill unable to reach him because of the shield, he also wondered how their battles went, although there was no sign ofNeji and he couldn't seem to find Shikamaru either.

"This is your last chance come with us Sasuke, we want you to come home with us, to enjoy Konoha, and a certain pink hair ninja would love to have you as well." Naruto pleaded with a hint of resignation in his voice. He was hoping Sasuke would settle for a peaceful solution to the fight but knew that most likely he wasn't probably going to get one.

"You think it will be that easy for me to go back, I knew you were stupid but not this stupid. I would have thought you would have learned by now that I have chosen my path and that includes killing my brother, even at the cost of my Konoha headband, besides Sakura never loved me, she loved the attitude I had." Sasuke countered as he looked at Naruto and sneered with no little amount of venom in his voice.

"Hahaha...You are calling me dumb after saying something like that, then you are truly lost and there is no hope for you. She loved you more then anything in this world and when you left, part of her died." Naruto said growing slightly angery as he looked at Sasuke who looked mildly surprised by the statement,. 'At least he isn't a complete bastard' Naruto thought as he followed suit and slipped into a battle position much as Sasuke did while Naruto spoke.

Sasuke couldn't believe that he had shown some emotional recognition to Naruto when he said that Sakura missed him, he serious had hoped she would get over him, he needed her to hate him, it made leaving easier, it made it all easier, he needed to kill his brother and he couldn't do that if he was tied down, it just wasn't possible.

(A/N: by request of the readers, we are putting the fights between the other Anbu members here... Hope you enjoy...)

_Before the sound barrier was erected..._

Elsewhere Neji was fighting Sukon and Ukon the brothers that shared the same body it seemed that he was suited to handle this battle more then the other since he wouldn't let them get close enough to do to him what they had tried to do Asuma-sensei when he had come after Sasuke the first time. Neji was tiring fast and needed to finish this battle quickly, he needed to use his own trump card NOW. Neji started to summon his element and its powers, Ukon looked around as the ground started to rumble and some weird colored water of a dark and dank color seeped from the ground

"You two are probably wondering why I was fighting only hand to hand but making sure you never hit me, well because I know you can enter my body and I don't think that would be smart of me if I let you and frankly I can end it now with my elemental powers." Neji said as he smirked and raised his hand and made a sort of upside-down cage with his fingers and shouted: "**Suiton: Yami Mizu Tanki (Water release : Dark Waters of Death)"**.

Neji watched as the dark water rose and started to rush at his opponents and filter its way into their throat and nose slowly suffocating them and seeking out there heart, Neji brought his other hand up and waited as he sensed the water closing in on the heart after ripping a fiery, painful path through their lungs in search of the life essential organ.

Closing his other hand the water bound itself to the brothers hearts and slowly compressed, squeezing and slowly crushing their hearts, the brothers were writhering on the ground as the felt the immense pain not able to cry out because of the water filling their throats."For Sasuke indeed..." Was all Neji said as he walked back toward the valley limping as he went knowing he needed a good rest or atleast a couple of soldier pills.

With Shika...

Shikamaru walked into the shadows with a smirk as Kidoumaru thesix armed nin looked back and forth, afraid for the first time in his life. Even with the second stage of his curse activated, he still felt like a sitting duck. His opponent's ability to hide in the shadows only further enshrined his opponent as a true horror and a terror of battle.

"Why do you hide from me, scared aren't you boy, I would be if I were you." Kidoumaru taunted from his place in the shade of a near by tree trying to keep up his impression of indifference. Shikamaru just smirked as he watched as the man left himself open for the attack that was coming, Shikamaru with the power of his element, quietly appeared behind the boy, pulling his two Vorpral blades he pressed them against the older man's throat and growled out: "This is the end of the line for you, you could have just surrendered but you became to troublesome and for that I will end the pitiful example of a life you have for good."

Kidoumaru tried to move but couldn't seem to even twitch. Knowing that he was finished, he let out a scream so primal in its intensity, that birds took to flight from the surrounding areain a radius of almost a square mile, but the scream was cut off as Shikamaru used the daggers of his line and silenced the man. He watched the head of his opponent fall to the ground and roll to rest against a tree and he also watched as Kidoumaru's headless body fall limp to the side, he looked at his blades and was barely able to withhold his tears, the power that he was gifted with was turning out to be so troublesome and he because of that he had killed someone. Why was he chosen and why did he have to kill?

Watching from the shadows the elemental sovereigns inspected the battles of their chosen and were very pleased over all about what had happened, and they were also pleased that someone cared enough to question why he had the power and why he had to kill with it.

"He is a very interesting choice, but it seems I made the right one, right boys and girls." Shadow said as the others started giving him their opinions about his choice, water smiled smugly he had worried at first about his choice but the battle of his chosen had shown him that maybe he had made the right choice, ground was very pleased as well, and nature well the boy hadn't used any of his elemental jutsus yet, but he thought the boy was also strong and right for the job.

Back at the fight Naruto stood waiting for the attack. He could feel his team getting closer and was glad that they had survived but he knew his battle was just starting. From the city of Konoha, a team consisting Jiraiya and Anko and the rest of the rookie nine and team Gai headed for the battle. They were hoping against hope that they would get there in time to catch the fight and hopefully save Sasuke and Naruto from destroying each other.

Naruto moved first, he disappeared and reappeared above Sasuke and brought his leg down trying to deliver a crushing leg kick to the shoulder of his opponent, Sasuke side stepped and muttered "**Sharingan" **as his eyes changed from onyx to red with three commas. Naruto seeing this did several back flips and landed a fair distance away. If Sasuke felt it necessary to activate his blood limit then he would do the same thing.

Naruto looked to the sky and started to collect chakra and call on his element, Sasuke watched as Naruto's eyes went blue on him, the electricity that was collecting around his body was amazing, the sky started to collect clouds like a storm was moving in, Sasuke watched as lighting struck the ground and water around them sending out ripples of electricity as it ran its way over the water. Naruto held his hand out and with a clash and a flash of lightning, a Glaive appeared in his hand with red runes glowing all over the shaft of the weapon. After applying chakra to the weapon and having the two blades at the end appear from their sheath, from the previous battle that Neji was in the elements felt Naruto tap into his power and quickly disappeared hoping to catch the fight before it started, the team from Konoha felt the chakra spike as well and started moving faster.

Naruto yelled is first attack as the elements appeared "Since you wont listen to some sound advice, I guess I will just have to BEAT IT INTO YOU!" "**DANSU ZANA HEKIREKI JOUTON (Dance of the Thunder God)**"

Naruto moved faster then Sasuke could see, bring his glaive around he slashed Sasuke and watched as the power exploded from the blade and propelled Sasuke back almost 20 meters. Running to catch up to him he brought the blade up and underhanded Sasuke. With a snap, up went Sasuke, air born. Naruto appeared above him and hit him a third time knocking the newest missing nin in to the water. As he put the blade away, Sasuke gathered himself from the water, and prepared for the next stage of the fight.

Sasuke was lost, for the life of him, he couldn't figure out how this boy could be more powerful then him, he had trained relentlessly for years to become as strong as he was. Knowing that, Sasuke he did the only thing he could, he activated the second level of the curse seal. He grinned evilly as he felt the giant hand-like wings rip from his body and as he felt the surge of power. The elemental leaders looked at the boy with disgust, such a perversion to and of power the boy was, all except fire, the most hot-headed of the leaders, counted the boy a loss, he was to be his holder and the boy would come around one way or another, he would make sure of that.

Sasuke started attacking Naruto faster then the fox-boy could track and soon found his way, back-first into a big tree groaning from the impact and the pain that rippled through his body, He stood all bet, a bit shakily, and smiled.

"Hey Sasuke, seeing as we about equal in power, how about we finish this for good your Chidori against my Rasengen, winner takes all.", Sasuke didn't answer he just stood their and made a quick series of hand seals and started to gather chakra into his hands, Naruto like wise started to gather chakra into his hand, and soon enough the sound of swirling air and a thousand birds and bees filled the air as his ANBU team and the Konoha team arrived. As the two teams looked on, both noticed the amount of power that both boys were putting out and couldn't help but shake at the magnitude of it.

Anko looked on as the two teens charged at each other, going faster then she had thought possible for a human. Sakura, who stood behind Jiraiya, couldn't believe her former teammates were down there fighting like this, not like this, not with the intent to kill. Jiraiya, who was worried for his son, prayed he knew what he was doing and wouldn't do anything that everyone including himself would regret.

As Sasuke and Naruto neared and thrust their attacks forward toward each other, Naruto looked to where he had sensed Sakura and Anko, and all the other people that had come to help him, landed and smiled letting the Rasengan dissipate back into his chakra pool. With the same foxy grin, that had for so long been used to cover his real emotions, plastered on his face, Naruto took the Chidori right through his chest. It destroyed everything that it touched, he slouched forward as blood began to pour from his wound and to leak from his mouth. He was lucky that it missed his heart, but he still knew that he was going to die. The damage was to great to be healed like always.

Looking up from the gaping wound in his chest, Naruto looked at the man responsible and smiled. He smiled because he knew that he had accomplished what he had come to this place to do and for him that was enough. He only hoped that the other people would forgive Sasuke.

"It seems we both got we wanted huh Sasuke.", he wheezed weakly after Sasuke ripped his now blood soaked hand from his former teammate and friend's chest.

Dropping onto his knees, Sasuke reached out and caught his slumping friend before he hit the ground. Holding onto his shoulders, Sasuke looked into Naruto's dimming blue eyes and asked: "Why… Why did you let me hit you?".

With a small sad smile, Naruto dipped his index finger into the pool of blood that was on the ground and with that same finger wrote: 'BECAUSE SHE LOVES YOU', on his ex-opponent's chest were a rip from their fight was showing the other boy's chest. With a gasp, Sasuke looked down and read what he had written and with out thinking of what he was doing, he put his hands on his chest and tried to fight back the tears. Having been released from Sasuke's grasp, Naruto fell backward and watched his teammates and friends as they tried to bring down the barrier to reach him. With a small smirk, Naruto lost consciousness, well on his way to the afterlife.

Meanwhile outside the barrier...

Chouji was busy trying to bust the wall down with his war-hammer but with little sucsess. Anko, who was pissed, was trying to get to Naruto but Jiraiya had an iron grip on her arms.

In the barrier…

Sasuke was gripping his head in pain as his eyes went through their finally evolution. As the pain subsided and he fainted, the barrier came crashing down. The people that were rushing into get him and Naruto, stopped in their tracks when white light enveloped the fox boy's body and with a flash both the light and the body vanished. Anko fell to her knees crying and in despair. She was crying because she was sure the one man she had ever really loved, and the one man that had truly understood her, had died just moments earlier and she had been unable to do anything about it. Jiraiya, who had lost a son, was fighting back his tears because he knew that he had a job to do and because he would have plenty of time to do that later. Unknown to the people outside, the great nine-tailed fox that lived inside the down vanished boy was laughing like a maniac. "**Do you really think that I would let you die that easily?**", he said to the small blonde haired body that lay before his cage. "**After all you have done for this village and for me, I give you me parting gift.**".

A/N: Thx to all our faithful readers and we sincerely hope you continue to enjoy our story. THX. PS R&R plz.


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